Articles

This section contains a number of longer articles. These typically appeared in previous issues of Stonechat (the Ayrshire SOC's newsletter) or the Ayrshire Bird Report.

That Redhead's No Lady!

Monday, 28 January 2002 18:30 David Grant

For the past three years, Martnaham Loch has been the site of a long staying drake Smew during the winter months. However, last year we were fortunate enough to be visited by a redhead Smew before the drake, unfortunately it did not stay, which at the time we thought was a shame. Having a pair of Smew on a loch, well who knows what could have happened! The drake Smew subsequently appeared and stayed the whole winter.

Ringing on Lady Isle

Sunday, 15 June 2003 15:12 Kevin Waite

On 7 June I joined a bunch of ringers (I'm sure the collective noun is something obscene so we'll stick with 'bunch') on a trip out to Lady Isle to do some ringing. Lady Isle is a small, privately owned island 4km from Troon that is only 6m at its highest point. For many years this has been a nature reserve and you need permission to land, which made a trip to it an exciting prospect.

I'd Thought You Knew?

Saturday, 01 June 2002 15:03 Angus Hogg

"The Great Crested Grebes at Martnaham, with two young? I thought you'd know about them!" Just one comment from a birder some years ago which highlights a problem facing all county recorders. Then there's "that bird was around all spring, from mid May. Very distinctive. It kept sitting on the fence at the edge of my field, before flying off and catching a bee. Then it would return to the fence line and knock seven bells out of the insect before swallowing it." All very frustrating! However, strange though it might seem to those of you who know me, the first comment is one of the type which frustrates me most.

Ailsa Craig: Before and After the Eradication of Rats in 1991

Monday, 15 January 2001 18:53 Bernard Zonfrillo

It is now ten years since the rats on Ailsa Craig were completely eradicated. In this article I cover the background to rats arriving on the island, how they were eliminated and some of the subsequent changes following their demise.

Rare Ayrshire Species

Monday, 25 October 2010 18:17 Angus Hogg

This article summarises those species on the Ayrshire List with fewer than 20 sightings, with a historical breakdown. If the entry has a hyperlink then this takes you to a photograph of this species taken in Ayrshire. A key to the symbols used in the table is included at the end of the article. NB: Totals may be altered due to addition of late submissions.


Report Time	21:50

Condition	---
Wind Chill	5 °C
Dew Point	8 °C
Wind Direction	230SW
Variable Wind	---/---
Wind Speed	6.7 m/s
Wind Gust	---
Visibility	10 km
Pressure	1012 hPa
Humidity	93.4 %
Humidity Index	9.4 °C
Heat Index	---
Precipitation	---
Snow	---

Ayrshire Birding

That Redhead's No Lady!

Ringing on Lady Isle

I'd Thought You Knew?

Ailsa Craig: Before and After the Eradication of Rats in 1991

Rare Ayrshire Species

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