Summer Bird Race 2006
Four teams competed in this year’s Summer Bird Race and a grand total of 110 species was recorded. The winners were the Kilmarnock-based “Drift Migrants” comprising Fraser Simpson, Alistair Simpson and Lisa Ketchen who notched up a respectable 97 species. (They also showed a bit more “dedication” to the cause by staying up all night and doing a complete 24-hour stint – no mean feat when Fraser had just travelled by coach from London on the Friday!! Second placed were “McKechnie’s Maulers” comprising Bill McKechnie, Angus Hogg and Donald Smith who reached 93 with a last-minute Bullfinch 3 minutes before the end. No such 24-hour nonsense here: 12 is about our stretch these days! Third were the “Thomson Twins,” comprising Jim Thomson, Tom Reid and Ronnie Coombes (well, OK there were 3) who amassed a grand total of 92, went out on the Friday night but thought better of it and had a good night’s sleep as well. The “Gastronomes” (Henry Martin, Ingrid Swanson, Deone Finlayson and Joan Strachan) managed an excellent lunch – and 66 species to finish a satisfied 4th.
Some of the main features of this year’s race included the obvious comment “Where’s the Chiffchaffs?” and a general lack of birdsong which was more likely attributable to the late timing of the event in relation to the breeding season. Some “star” birds were seen such as King Eider, Red-throated Diver, Hen Harrier, Black-tailed Godwit, Kingfisher, and 3 species of owl – Barn, Tawny and Long-eared (no prizes for guessing which teams got them!). In all, the final tally reflects a good effort at this time of year, when things are quietening down and many of the scarce summer breeders are even dispersing. It was probably more of a real test of endurance and no surprise therefore that one of the winning team couldn’t quite make it along to the excellent evening festivities at Donald and Veronica’s. On which note, it should be added here that all of us take our hats (or binoculars) off to Veronica for providing a really superb meal at the end of yet another enjoyable Bird Race. Lastly, what was the top sighting of the 24 hours? Hands down winner must surely have been the 4 Basking Sharks just off Maidens seen by Jim Thomson’s team as they turned for home.
Bird Race participants raised £40 for the Albatross Appeal.
That 24-hour List
| Red-throated Diver | Moorhen | Woodpigeon | Song Thrush |
| Little Grebe | Coot | Collared Dove | Mistle Thrush |
| Gt Crested Grebe | Water Rail | Barn Owl | Grasshopper Warbler |
| Fulmar | Oystercatcher | Tawny Owl | Sedge Warbler |
| Manx Shearwater | Ringed Plover | Long-eared Owl | Whitethroat |
| Gannet | Lapwing | Swift | Garden Warbler |
| Cormorant | Snipe | Kingfisher | Blackcap |
| Shag | Black-tailed Godwit | Gt Sp Woodpecker | Chiffchaff |
| Grey Heron | Curlew | Skylark | Willow Warbler |
| Mute Swan | Redshank | Sand Martin | Goldcrest |
| Canada Goose | Greenshank | Swallow | Sp Flycatcher |
| Shelduck | Common Sandpiper | House Martin | Long-tailed Tit |
| Teal | Bl-headed Gull | Tree Pipit | Coal Tit |
| Mallard | Common Gull | Meadow Pipit | Blue Tit |
| Tufted Duck | Lr B-b Gull | Rock Pipit | Great Tit |
| Eider | Herring Gull | Grey Wagtail | Treecreeper |
| King Eider | Gt B-b Gull | Pied Wagtail | Magpie |
| Red-br Merganser | Sandwich Tern | Wren | Jackdaw |
| Goosander | Arctic Tern | Dunnock | Rook |
| Hen Harrier | Little Tern | Robin | Carrion Crow |
| Sparrowhawk | Guillemot | Redstart | Raven |
| Buzzard | Razorbill | Whinchat | Starling |
| Kestrel | Black Guillemot | Stonechat | House Sparrow |
| Peregrine | Rock Dove | Wheatear | Tree Sparrow |
| Pheasant | Stock Dove | Blackbird | Chaffinch |
| Greenfinch | Goldfinch | Siskin | Linnet |
| Lesser Redpoll | Crossbill | Bullfinch | Yellowhammer |
| Reed Bunting | |||
| and Dipper (which sums up the comments about the losing teams!!) | |||