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. […]
The Collins Bird Guide was first published in 1999 and instantly became the go-to guide for all birders. The 2nd edition was published in 2009 with a subsequent reprint with further amendments in 2018 (though not enough amendments to call it a 3rd edition). The long-awaited 3rd edition was finally published earlier this December. Is […]
European Storm Petrels at Turnberry Point During 1980, my interest in seawatching had got to the point where Turnberry lighthouse had almost become a second home. However, it kept on producing interesting seabirds and the head greenkeeper at the golf course was happy to allow me to take my car all the way down to […]
Leach’s Storm Petrel, and the Girvan Police The 18th of November 1982 turned out to be an interesting evening, and not, I might add, because of the parent-teacher meeting I’d just been to. The weather on my way home from Ayr was wet and windy, with strong, blustery rain showers battering the car from time […]
When you look at the spread of bird records within Ayrshire, many places jump out of the page as locations which are very well-watched – some, less so. However, the woodland of Auchinleck House is one of those areas into which birders very rarely venture. In truth, there are many such places in the county, […]
Again, we have a nice mix of the rare and common with stunning photos. The really impressive bit was getting the photo in good light and blue skies: not easy this autumn! The above are just a sample: please go to the Photo Gallery to see all the other great pictures. I’m always on the […]
Angus HoggDecember 2017All photos are ©Angus Hogg, 2017 The Green Woodpecker (P. viridis) was first recorded in Ayrshire in 1925 when one was heard calling from the Blairquhan estate woodlands. Unfortunately, the bird was not seen, but the person who heard it was, apparently, well aware of the species’ rarity in Scotland at the time. […]
Apparently a Spotted Crake has been seen recently! My guide-book says they are secretive and hard to see. Clearly the Doonfoot individual hasn’t read the book because it has put on a great show as the various photos show. These are also the first photos of an Ayrshire bird and so made it onto the […]
Angus Hogg3 April 2017All photos are ©Angus Hogg, 2017 Water Pipits “Well, nobody looks at pipits!!” An often repeated statement from birders and non-birders alike. It’s perhaps understandable, since this little group of birds is maybe not the most glamorous. Well, maybe I can persuade you to have a look at some of these “little […]
Angus Hogg29 August 2016 All photos are © Angus Hogg, 2016 Some years ago – well, a considerable numbers of years ago – I decided to take part in a county-wide survey of Rooks which had been organised by the late Malcolm Castle. This wasn’t the first such survey which he’d organised, and it wasn’t […]