The Birds of Turnberry
This article originally appeared in Ayrshire Bird Report 2001 and is reproduced here with kind permission of the Editor.
Introduction
utting into the outer Firth of Clyde, Turnberry Point has become one of three important sea- watching points on the Ayrshire coast. Its location, adjacent to deep offshore water, has provided it with an ideal capability to provide some interesting observations, as well as allowing regular monitoring of seabird movement. The regularity with which Turnberry Point has been watched has increased in recent years, largely due to the hospitality and interest of successive owners of the golf course. In the past 30 years, the ownership has changed hands several times, having been a British Rail property in the 1970's. It has since seen ownership by both Japanese and American concerns, and has slowly acquired an internationally recognised status (this last point explains the occasional "interference" you get just when you think you've latched on to an unusual bird call).
However, both the golf course and surrounding land have witnessed change, especially during the last 5 years. In particular, both major changes to one of the two courses and the considerable enlargement of a pool lying to the east of the Maidens-Turnberry road (see map) have added a new dimension to what could be one of Turnberry's attractions: its land-birds. This has always been an aspect of the area's bird life that has played second fiddle to its seabirds, and could well do with more attention.
How and when?
Visitors to the lighthouse area at Turnberry Point could often be excused for thinking it is no better than most parts of the Ayrshire coast in its provision of seabirds. However, over a period of 30 years, a reasonably good record has been built up, allowing the discerning birder to predict when it's likely to be at its best. Towards this end, this article may further assist you make your choice, but one word of advice/warning may be necessary at this point: if early morning starts or force-9 westerlies accompanied by sleet squalls are not your cup of tea, you may have to be prepared to settle for second best in seabirds!
The Seabird Year
The relatively quiet months of the first quarter are occasionally punctuated by periods of high activity, often related to severe weather. Gales or freeze-ups can cause spectacular bird movements along the coast. Early January can see a southerly shift of grey geese, with Greylags and Pink-feet heading south. This can also be a period to look out for short distance movements of divers, Great Northerns often featuring. One species which may be present well offshore can reveal itself in gales during this time, with Little Auks joining the gathering numbers of Guillemots and Razorbills. Gales also provide the occasion for observers to pick up the first of the returning Gannets, a few adults regularly appearing throughout the winter period, along with storm-driven species like Manx Shearwater. At first light early morning movements of Eiders and Red-breasted Mergansers can be spectacular, the former species regularly topping 1500 per hour. This, though, would seem to be no more than a local movement, with birds which have moved or drifted north in the previous evening returning to Turnberry Bay. Always worth a look, the superb drake Eiders were joined briefly by a drake King Eider in March 1984.
Towards the end of February and the beginning of March some birds are starting to head north, with Red-throated Diver numbers climbing rapidly and Common Gulls flying up the coast in large flocks. Wader species at this time are limited to the usual suspects (Oystercatcher, Curlew, Redshank, Ringed Plover, Redshank and Turnstone), but the high tide roost on rocks just south of the lighthouse are a good place to see Purple Sandpiper, numbers of which have dropped considerably since the 1970s. Land birds too are limited in both number and variety, but occasional surprises have included a short stay by a male Ring Ouzel in 1996, along with small numbers of Twites, Goldfinches, a visiting Short-eared Owl or passing Snow Bunting. Nonetheless, you're always sure of raptor activity with Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Peregrine and Merlin featuring, along with more frequent visits from local Ravens.
The Rush to the North
There can be little doubt that many, if not most, observers look forward eagerly to the Spring passage. Yet, although it can produce some surprisingly good birding, it probably cannot be regarded as Turnberry's "top season." It's still very good though, with many divers gathering in Turnberry Bay: Black-throated Divers regularly reaching nationally important figures. Back from North-West Africa come hordes of Gannets, Manx Shearwaters start to appear from the end of April and a good look at sea duck can turn up the odd surprise e.g. Surf Scoter in both 1999 and 2001. A flat calm early May morning can leave you with deep memories of just how beautiful this area is, with the calls of migrant Pink-feet echoing above the frantic cries of a Whimbrel flock; all of this against a backdrop of a sea moving with Gannets, auks and migrating waders such as Sanderling, Ringed Plover and Dunlin. A mid- May storm can produce unusual species like Pomarine or Long-tailed Skua — even the scarcely seen phenomenon of an offshore fog bank can force birds to follow the coast, with the year 2000 revealing a strong Arctic Tern passage.
Land birds are much more obvious now, with the gorse patches on the golf course giving cover to a wide range of both migrants and breeding species. Grasshopper Warbler and Sedge Warbler join the earlier Willow Warblers, Whitethroats and Whinchats sit on top of the bushes, Wheatears run along the fairways, larger Greenland birds going through towards the end of April or early May, and White Wagtails are everywhere. Visible migration can often be just as exciting, with steady movements of hirundines along the coast from mid April, sometimes forcing the odd overshoot such as a Hobby in 1981. June can be deceptively quiet, with seabird activity always able to provide the unexpected, such as a Cory's Shearwater in 1978, to catch out the sea-watcher who's nodded off! The first Eider and Shelduck broods appear along the coast and the golf course still carries the sound of Skylark, interspersed with Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Yellowhammer and a host of others. There's still plenty to see!
The Best is still to come
Autumn is harder to define since it really starts around mid July and extends well into October. With sea temperatures rising throughout this period, seabird activity now reaches a peak, and Turnberry is at its best. Huge gatherings of Manx Shearwaters extend to the horizon, numbers often going over 10,000. Feeding movements are localised and seem to involve birds moving around in the area of the North Channel, Kilbrannan Sound, North Arran and Cumbraes, frequently coming inshore in large packs near Turnberry Point. With an onshore wind, between south-westerly and north-westerly and up to force-9, Manxies come flooding past the lighthouse, accompanied by Fulmars, Gannets, Kittiwakes, skuas and auks. During the period from late August to late September, sea-watchers could well expect their most exciting observations of the year.
In recent years Balearic Shearwater has become a regular visitor. Since its first appearance in 1978, it is currently averaging upwards of 5 individuals per year, often showing up in twos and threes. Trickier to spot, both Storm and Leach's Petrel are nonetheless regular, with the first fortnight in September being the best time for the latter, frequently in wind speeds of just over force-3. Late August and September have also provided single records of both Cory's and Great Shearwater, along with several Sooty Shearwaters. Gulls and skuas can often produce the goods around this time, with Sabine's Gull having 15 records to its name so far, being joined by Little Gull and, more recently, Mediterranean Gull. Skua enthusiasts can see all four of the "usual" British skuas in a good year at Turnberry, with juvenile birds providing that extra challenge! Perhaps surprisingly, tern numbers tend to be poor following the departure of the family groups of Sandwich Terns, but the 11th and 12th of September 1992 produced 22 Black Terns after thundery weather in the southern North Sea had forced an overland diversion to the west. This raises the question of just when is best to head to the lighthouse since weather conditions during autumn 2000 would not have suggested good sea- watching. Events elsewhere often dictate what flies past and a look at the UK weather map on the previous evening is always worthwhile. Persistent but gentle easterlies in late August and early September still produced 2 Black Terns and a Grey Phalarope.
Wader migration can be patchy but, by late summer, watch out for scarce or rare species. In recent years Turnberry Point has played host to 28 different species of wader, with autumn turning in records of White-rumped Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper and Grey Phalarope, along with Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Ruff, Black-tailed Godwit, Spotted Redshank and Green Sandpiper. As small flocks of Golden Plover head south across the sea in late September ahead of colder northerlies, this can often be the setting for what, to my mind, is one of the real Turnberry showpieces — the return of the divers and geese. Barnacle Goose flocks hugging a cold grey sea as they hit a change in wind direction are a real joy to watch, while groups of Red-throated Divers flying steadily south, at all altitudes, can leave you numb with excitement (as well as incipient frostbite!). However, the dogged determination and purpose displayed by migrant birds in this spectacular is well worth the discomfort caused by the weather though.
The main aspect of Turnberry's bird life which has been poorly recorded throughout this autumn period has been its land bird movement, largely due to it being a case of "doing one thing or the other." Even so, the golf courses have hosted a good variety of migrant species, but it's not always possible to "scour" the bushes for warblers or buntings since golfers take priority. There are parts of the courses, though, which you can access without causing disturbance. A walk northwards along the old World War Two runway (see map) can offer the chance to inspect clumps of bushes and small trees, especially at its northernmost end. Not all Stonechats are local birds as 1998 proved when a Siberian Stonechat paid a brief visit. Scarcer migrants have included Water Pipit, Pied Flycatcher and Brambling, while the shoreline has produced two records of Lapland Bunting. And just where are those small groups of Rooks and Jackdaws flying out to sea at this time of year going? More effort in finding out what's really moving through the golf course at this time of year could prove just as exciting as what happens offshore.
Full Circle
As the last two months of the year approach, Turnberry quietens down once more — well, almost. Razorbill numbers can often rise dramatically in early November e.g. 4500 flying south in just one hour in November 1999. Overall, seabird numbers dwindle sharply, with almost all Gannets leaving the Clyde, while wildfowl figures increase, with displaying Eiders starting to accumulate just to the south of the Point. A few other species can also be seen at this time, with a scattering of Goldeneye, Long-tailed Duck, Scaup and Common Scoter always around the area. Diver movements can be quite marked, following the onset of colder weather, Black-throats coming in during November, and Great Northerns moving south well into December.
In all, Turnberry Point and golf courses have played host to 184 species in the period from 1970 — 2001. A full list appears below. This figure should increase with continued observation and more attention paid to passerine and near passerine species appearing on the golf courses.
List of birds seen at Turnberry during 1970-2001
Red-throated Diver, Black-throated Diver, Great Northern Diver, White-billed Diver, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Slavonian Grebe, Northern Fulmar, Cory's Shearwater, Great Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater, Manx Shearwater, Balearic Shearwater, Storm Petrel, Leach's Petrel, Northern Gannet, Cormorant, Shag, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Pink- footed Goose, White-fronted Goose, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Barnacle Goose, Brent Goose, Shelduck, Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Pintail, Shoveler, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Scaup, Eider, King Eider, Long-tailed Duck, Common Scoter, Surf Scoter, Velvet Scoter, Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser, Goosander, Hen Harrier, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Osprey, Kestrel, Merlin, Hobby, Peregrine, Grey Partridge, Pheasant, Water Rail, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Golden Plover, Grey Plover, Lapwing, Knot, Sanderling, Little Stint, White-rumped Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper, Purple Sandpiper, Dunlin, Ruff, Jack Snipe, Snipe, Woodcock, Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Curlew, Spotted Redshank, Redshank, Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Turnstone, Grey Phalarope, Pomarine Skua, Arctic Skua, Long-tailed Skua, Great Skua, Mediterranean Gull, Little Gull, Sabine's Gull, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Iceland Gull, Glaucous Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Kittiwake, Sandwich Tern, Common Tern, Arctic Tern, Little Tern, Black Tern, Guillemot, Razorbill, Black Guillemot, Little Auk, Puffin, Rock Dove/Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Cuckoo, Barn Owl, Tawny Owl, Short-eared Owl, Swift, Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Skylark, Sand Martin, Swallow, House Martin, Tree Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Rock Pipit, Water Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Black Redstart, Whinchat, Stonechat, Northern Wheatear, Ring Ouzel, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Grasshopper Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Goldcrest, Spotted Flycatcher, Pied Flycatcher, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Treecreeper, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Raven, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Brambling, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Siskin, Linnet, Twite, Lesser Redpoll, Crossbill, Bullfinch, Lapland Bunting, Snow Bunting, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Corn Bunting.