Sightings October 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
Long Stayers
| Dates | Location | Sighting |
|---|---|---|
| All | Bogside | Ruff, 1-7 Black-tailed Godwits, up to 10 Greenshank, 1-2 Short-eared owls, up to 9 Shoveler, single Peregrine, Hen Harrier, Kingfisher and Gadwall |
| Hunterston | Scaup, up to 11 Greenshank and up to 24 Twite | |
| Stevenston Point | Two 2nd winter Mediterranean Gulls | |
| Kileekie | 7 Whooper Swans on 13th, down to 4 on 24th, but up again to 23 on 27th falling to 10 by end of the month | |
| 1-2 | Doonfoot | Little Stint, Bar-tailed Godwit, upto 3 Greenshanks |
| 24-28 | Stevenston Point | Little Stint |
Other Sightings
| Date | Location | Sighting |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bogside | Merlin |
| Turnberry Point | Slavonian Grebe | |
| Balkenna | Great Northern Diver | |
| Dipple-Maidens | 96+ Red throated Divers, 5 Manx Shearwaters, 1 Black-tailed Godwit | |
| Powburn | 1st winter Mediterranean Gull | |
| Hunterston | 257 Wigeon, 24 Twite | |
| 2 | Balgray Reservoir (S) | 5 Shoveler, 2 Pintail |
| Bogside/ICI | Curlew Sandpiper | |
| 3 | Blairbowie | 2 juvenile Black-tailed Godwits |
| Largs | 50 Pink-footed Geese | |
| Troon | Bar-tailed Godwit, 3 Sanderling | |
| Doonfoot | Merlin | |
| Floak | Last report of Whinchat | |
| Corsehill Reservoir | 50 Pink-footed Geese | |
| 4 | North Burnt Hill | Hen Harrier |
| Barassie | Curlew Sandpiper; adult, 1st winter and 2nd winter Mediterranean Gulls | |
| 5 | Hunterston | Female Merlin |
| Largs | Last report of House Martins | |
| 6 | Blairbowie | 3 Whooper Swans, juvenile Pintail, juvenile Black-tailed Godwit |
| Garnock Floods | Juvenile Black Tern, Kingfisher | |
| 7 | Turnberry Point | Leach’s Petrel, Merlin, Balearic Shearwater, 4 Great Skuas |
| Maidens | Pomarine Skua, Great Skua, Grey Plover, 1st winter Mediterranean Gull, 8 Knot, 7 Bar-tailed Godwits | |
| 8 | Dipple | Brent Goose |
| Saltcoats | 30 Golden Plover, 2 Sanderling | |
| Eglinton | First reported Goldeneye | |
| 9 | Hunterston | Kingfisher, 2 Pintail, 2 Hooded Crows |
| 10 | Garnock Floods | Ruff, Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Kingfishers |
| 11 | Fairlie Sands | 5 Greenshanks |
| Maidens | 250 Golden Plover | |
| 12 | capringstone | 12 Shoveler |
| 13 | Barassie | 2 male Scaup, adult Mediterranean Gull |
| Southannan | Last report of Swallow | |
| Nethermains | Peregrine | |
| 14 | Hunterston | Peregrine, 3 Goldeneye, 11 Greenshanks |
| Doonfoot | 2 Pintail, 1 Hooded Crow | |
| Linfern Loch | Hen Harrier | |
| Straiton | First report of Brambling | |
| 15 | Barassie | 630 Golden Plover, juvenile Merlin |
| Powburn | Merlin, Kingfisher | |
| 16 | Dipple | 7 Black-throated Divers |
| Carmel water/South Woodhall Burn | Kingfisher | |
| 17 | Hunterston | 24 Whooper Swans |
| Ardrossan | Last report of Wheatear | |
| Seamill | 2 Greenshank | |
| 18 | Doonfoot | Last report of Sandwich Tern, 9 Scaup |
| Prestwick | 26 Red-throated Divers | |
| Dipple | 2 Scaup | |
| Balkenna | 6 Pintail, 7 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 3 Pink-footed Geese | |
| 20 | Ayr | Adult Mediterranean Gull |
| Irvine | Male Blackcap | |
| Bogside/ICI | Pink-footed Goose | |
| Blairbowie | 13 Barnacle Geese | |
| Maidens | Golden Plover, 3 Bar-tailed Godwits | |
| 21 | Dipple | Turtle Dove |
| 22 | Bogside | 9 Whooper Swans, 1 Pink-footed Goose |
| 23 | Culzean | Blackcap |
| 24 | Kilbirnie Loch | Water Rail, 2 Whooper Swans |
| Stevenston Point | Slavonian Grebe, Sanderling | |
| Ayr | Adult Mediterranean Gull, Brent Goose, 30 Twite | |
| Bogside | 652 Golden Plover | |
| Maidens | 330 Golden Plover | |
| 25 | Troon | Little Auk |
| Stevenston Point | Sanderling, Slavonian Grebe | |
| Doonfoot | Pale-bellied Brent Goose, adult Mediterranean Gull, 2 Whooper Swans | |
| Crossroads | 20 Whooper Swans flying SE | |
| 26 | Fergus Loch | 25 Whooper Swans |
| Saltcoats | Long-tailed Duck, Little Auk | |
| 27 | St Helens Well | 2 Whooper Swans |
| Stevenston Point | Juvenile Sabine’s Gull, 4 Sanderling | |
| Martnaham | 8 Greylag Geese | |
| Barassie | Two 1st winter and one 2nd winter Mediterranean Gulls | |
| Maidens | Common Scoter | |
| 28 | Stevenston Point | 3 adult Little Gulls |
| Turnberry Point | Storm Petrel | |
| Blairbowie | Whooper Swan | |
| Barcully | First report of 10 Fieldfares | |
| Maidens | 9 pale-bellied Brent Geese | |
| Irvine Harbour | 13 Whooper Swans | |
| 29 | Kileekie | 29 Greylag Geese |
| Bogside/ICI | 29 Whooper Swans, 32 Pink-footed Geese, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits | |
| Maidens | Merlin | |
| Glenbuck | 15 Long-tailed Tits | |
| Barassie | Adult Mediterranean Gull | |
| 30 | Stevenston Point | 3 adult Little Gulls |
| Kileekie | 36 Greylag Geese | |
| Saltcoats | Little Auk | |
| Barassie | Adult Mediterranean Gull | |
| Troon | Long-tailed Duck | |
| Cumnock | Red Kite | |
| 31 | Turnberry Point | Pomarine Skua, 12 Pintail |
| Hunterston | 2 Gadwall |
Acknowledgements
M McGinty, K Waite, M Howes, J McGrady, A Hogg, F Simpson, J Thomson, T Reid, J Towill, D Vernon, A Paxton, D Grant, D Smith, P McEwan, T Cameron, I Hamlin, J Boyle, S McMahon, B Lambie, W Harding, R Mason, A Barker, Birdline Scotland, Bird Guides, Clyde Birds.
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