Sightings May 2006
This table below lists the sightings of birds in Ayrshire over this month compiled from various sources. This is principally for a historical record and does not imply that a particular sightings has been accepted by the relevant authorities. The list of contributors is given at the foot of the table.
For details on many of the locations mentioned in the sightings please refer to our Where to Watch Birds in Ayrshire guides.
List compiled by Mike Howes and edited by Kevin Waite
Skua Fest
At Saltcoats, Stevenston Point and Ardrossan: 2-5 Pomarine Skuas, up to 15 Arctic Skuas, 2 Great Skuas on 19th, 1 Pomarine Skua on 20th, 3 Arctic Skuas on 21st, 50 Long-tailed Skuas, 2 Pomarine Skuas and 1 Arctic Skua on 23rd, 171 Long-tailed Skuas (sic!), up to 6 Pomarine Skuas, up to 5 Arctic Skuas and 3 Great Skuas on 24th, 1 Long-tailed Skua, 1 Pomarine Skua and 2 Great Skuas on 27th.
Long Stayers
| Dates | Location | Sighting |
|---|---|---|
| 1-21 | Hunterston | Up to 7 Whimbrel |
| All | Irvine | Male King Eider |
Other Sightings
| Date | Location | Sighting |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Turnberry | 2 Pomarine Skuas, 1 Arctic Skua, 6 Whimbrel |
| Hunterston | 32 White Wagtails | |
| Blairbowie | 47 Black tailed Godwits, Whimbrel, Merlin | |
| 3 | Ardeer Quarry | 1 Greenshank |
| Martnaham | 1 Pink-footed Goose, 8 Whimbrel, 4 Goldeneye, 95-100 Swifts | |
| Blairbowie | 2 Black-tailed Godwits, pair Shoveler | |
| Saltcoats | 1 Velvet Scoter | |
| Hunterston | 1 Curlew Sandpiper | |
| 4 | Kilmarnock | 1 Hoopoe |
| Martnaham | 16 Whimbrel | |
| Blairbowie | 1 Black-tailed Godwit, pair Shoveler | |
| Culroy | 1 Spotted Flycatcher | |
| Auchencruive | pair Garganey | |
| Minishant | 1 Spotted Flycatcher | |
| 5 | Kilmarnock | 1 Hoopoe |
| Glen Afton | 3 Redstart, Tree Pipit, Cuckoo | |
| Blairbowie | 1 Black-tailed Godwit, pair Shoveler | |
| Irvine | 4 Grasshopper Warblers, 15 Swifts | |
| Lochlea | pair Shovelers | |
| Auchencruive | pair Common Sandpiper | |
| Saltcoats | 2 Puffins | |
| 6 | Garnock Floods | 1 Grasshopper Warbler,2 Garden Warblers |
| Barr | 7 Spotted Flycatchers, 3 Redstarts | |
| Craigfin Hill | Tree Pipit | |
| Seamill | 6 Whimbrel, 1 White Wagtail | |
| Ardrossan | 1 Grasshopper Warbler | |
| 7 | Stevenston Point | 1 Little Tern |
| Ness Glen | Wood warbler | |
| Glen Afton | 1 Short-eared Owl | |
| 10 | Lochlea | 2 Black-tailed Godwits, pair Shoveler |
| Powburn | 1 Bar-tailed Godwit | |
| Hunterston | 2 White Wagtails | |
| Southannan | 1 Hooded Crow and 1 hybrid | |
| Munnoch Reservoir | 17 Whimbrel | |
| Blackcraig | 1 female Dotterel | |
| 11 | Carrick Hills | Cuckoo |
| Portencross | 2 Whimbrel, 1 Puffin | |
| Glen Tig | Wood Warbler, Pied Flycatcher, Redstart | |
| Ballantrae | Arctic Tern | |
| 12 | Culzean | Female Mandarin Duck |
| 13 | Blackcraig | 2 Dotterel |
| 14 | Kilmarnock | Common Crane (present for unknown previous days) |
| Lochlea | 1 Wood Sandpiper | |
| Blackcraig | 2 Dotterel | |
| 15 | Stevenston Point | 2 Black-throated Divers |
| 16 | Blairbowie | 1 Wood Sandpiper, male Shoveler |
| Balkenna | 4 Whimbrel | |
| Culzean | 20+ Common Scoter | |
| 18 | Blairbowie | 2 Black-tailed Godwits |
| 19 | Turnberry | 9 Arctic Skuas, 1 Great Northern Diver |
| 20 | Kennedys Pass | 1 Arctic Skua |
| Turnberry | 4 Pomarine Skuas, 1 Arctic Skua | |
| Blairbowie | 4 Black-tailed Godwits | |
| Ballantrae | 2 Arctic Skuas, 2 Little Terns, 2 Pale bellied Brent Geese, 6 Whimbrel | |
| 21 | Hunterston | Adult Long-tailed Skua |
| 23 | Saltcoats/Irvine | Osprey, Puffins |
| Newton Shore | 2 Great Skuas, 1 Arctic Skua, 3 Common Scoter | |
| 24 | Troon | 1 Leach's Petrel |
| 25 | Troon | Osprey, 6 Common Scoter |
| Saltcoats | Osprey | |
| Ballantrae | 2 Pale-bellied Brent Geese | |
| 26 | Barassie/Troon | 1 Dark-bellied Brent Goose |
| 27 | Barassie /Troon/Saltcoats | 1 Dark-bellied Brent Goose |
| Saltcoats | Osprey | |
| 28 | Dunure | 1 Long-tailed Skua |
| 29 | Kilkerran | 7 Blackcaps, 5 Spotted Flycatchers, 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 1 Wood Warbler, 1 Redstart |
| 31 | Daleagles | 2 pairs Pied Flycatchers, 4 pairs Redstart |
Acknowledgements
R Hissett, M McGinty, K Waite, R Kelly, M Howes, J McGrady, A Hogg, F Simpson, V Firminger, J Thomson, T Reid, J Towill, D Vernon, D Smith, S McMahon, S McCrindle, P McEwan, R and M Kelly, A Paxton, D Grant, B Lambie, T and G Scott, Birdline Scotland, T Cameron, K Hoey