This website has now been going for over 17 years and a gaping hole in the photo coverage of the Ayrshire Species List has finally been filled. Yes, I’ve now got a picture of Feral Pigeon – my thanks to Dave Grant for sending that in. However, don’t worry, we’ve also got pictures of less exciting stuff. For example, we have a picture taken in 1985 (who says this site isn’t up-to-the-minute?!) of a Ross’s Gull seen in Ayr. This photo was taken by Roger Hissett and is believed to be the only one of this bird (and obviously makes it onto the Rare Ayrshire Species list). There are other great pictures of a variety of species, and my thanks go to Dave Grant, Roger Hissett, Angus Hogg, Bruce Kerr and Bob Ross for their contributions to the Photo Gallery.

Feral Pigeons, Coylton, ©Dave Grant, 2017

Ross's Gull, Ayr, ©Roger Hissett, 1985

Iceland Gull, Troon, ©Bruce Kerr, 2017

Red-necked Phalarope, Tarbolton, ©Dave Grant, 2017

American Wigeon, Balkenna, ©Angus Hogg, 2017

Male Ring Ouzel, near Drongan, ©Angus Hogg, 2017

Cormorant, Barassie, ©Bob Ross, 2017

Spotted Crake, Doonfoot, ©Cathy Cochrane, 2017

Spotted Crake, Doonfoot, ©Iain Leach, 2017

Juvenile Green Woodpecker, near Straiton, ©Angus Hogg, 2017

Juvenile Swallow, Crosshill, ©Angus Hogg, 2017

Redstart, Ness Glen, ©Angus Hogg, 2017

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 Ayrshire Species List. I received pictures from a few people (all stunning) but Cathy Cochrane’s made it onto the list, primarily because she’s new to this site!

Another entry to the Ayrshire Species List is Angus Hogg’s picture of a juvenile Green Woodpecker – he now just has to prove its parents bred in Ayrshire!

While the Spotted Crake is very photogenic, my favourites this time round are a pair of photos, again by Angus, that summarise the hope and reality of an Ayrshire Summer: the Redstart singing his head off in hope; the fledgling Swallow enjoying the rain!

My thanks go to Cathy Cochrane, Dave Grant, Angus Hogg and Iain Leach for sending in photos for the Photo Gallery.

The printed copy of the 2014 Ayrshire Bird Report is now available. It consists of 102 pages including 18 full-colour inner pages with 36 photographs.

It can be obtained via the outlets listed here.

Tony Scott has sent in the latest issue of the The Stonechat, the SOC Ayrshire Branch‘s newsletter. It comes in two parts: Part A and Part B.  

The Summer 2017 issue of The Gannet, the club newsletter of the RSPB Central Ayrshire Local Group is now available. It comes in two parts: Part A and Part B  .

Waxwing, ©Angus Hogg, 2017

Shag, Lady Isle, ©Dave Grant, 2017

Great White Egret, Hunterston, ©Angus Hogg, 2017

Glossy Ibis, Beith, ©David Lynn, 2017

Now that Spring is over and we are enjoying the summer rain (hmm!), it’s time to update the Photo Gallery with the latest submissions. Again wetland birds were the stars (Dave Grant’s Shag on her nest on Lady Isle is particularly striking) but we also have the incoming migrants and even a late Waxwing. Angus’s lovely photos of the Great White Egret at Hunterston made it onto the Ayrshire Species List.

My thanks go to Dave Grant, Angus Hogg, David Lynn, Jamie McPike and Bob Ross for sending in photos for the Photo Gallery.

The Arran Bird Report for 2016 is now available. It can be obtained from:

It is priced £5.00 + £1.50 p&p

Tony Scott has sent in the latest issue of the The Stonechat, the SOC Ayrshire Branch‘s newsletter.   You can get it here .  Note: this is a 12MB PDF document as it contains a lot of high-quality images.

You may remember the project to describe all the best places to watch birds in Ayrshire.  That was over a decade ago (!) and things change.  So it was great to receive an update from Mike Howes for the entry for Craigdullyeart and Corsencon in East Ayrshire now that access restrictions have been removed after the completion of open-cast mining.  If you have any updates for other sites please let me know and I’ll update them.  My thanks to Mike for sending it in.