With Spring offically here it’s good to clear my inbox ready for the usual deluge of breeding season bird photos. My thanks go to Dave Grant, David Lynn and Kevin McCormick for sending in their pictures for the Photo Gallery.
March 2025 Photos
Ayrshire Rarities Checklist Updated
Angus Hogg has fully revised the Ayrshire Rarities Checklist to bring it up to date. In addition, he has written a comprehensive article giving the current state, the changes since the last revision, and what we can expect in the future. This is essential reading for anyone interested in our rarer birds. The article and checklist can also be found on the Species List option of the menu at the top of the page.
Ayrshire Bird Report 2022
The Ayrshire Bird Report for 2022 is now available online. This year saw first records for Ayrshire for Cattle Egret, and the first Ayrshire breeding records of Red Kite for over a hundred years. The year was also remembered for seabird colonies being out of bounds due to avian flu, resulting in a number of colonies not getting the attention that they normally received. The report starts with some interesting articles on the ongoing work with Lesser Whitethroat by Tom Byars, the Birds of New Cumnock Parish by Mike Howes, and the status of rare birds with less than 20 records by Angus Hogg. This is followed by the systematic list with records from over 200 observers.
The report is available for free as a PDF download by clicking here.
Angus Hogg and Dave Grant, Editors
January 2025 Photos
At this time of year the light can either be grim or stunning. So here are some pictures taken by David Grant and David Lynn when the light was in their favour. And I must apologise to Bruce Kerr and Hayden Fripp for missing out some pictures they sent at the beginning of August last year: especially as Hayden’s picture of a Quail also made it onto the Ayrshire Species List.
The full set of photos are in the Photo Gallery. My thanks to all of them for sending them in.
Birds of New Cumnock Parish: an Update 2010–2024
Michael Howes
January 2025
The publication of Birds of New Cumnock Parish by James ‘Jimmy’ Begg in 2010 was a welcome addition to Ayrshire birding literature. Being of the ‘old school’ I always enjoy reading small pamphlets and books that cover local birdwatching. These often include insights about changes to bird distribution, populations, breeding ranges and habitats not always easily included in larger, more general reports.
Blairbowie – Just One Field
Angus Hogg,
November 2024
Arriving in Ayrshire in 1969, with a somewhat vague interest in birds, my move to Crosshill in 1970 took me into an area which I quickly realised was home to a rich diversity of wildlife and, more particularly, birdlife. I could see and hear all sorts of farmland species from my house, from secretive Spotted Flycatchers breeding in the garden, to jingling Corn Buntings at nearby Garpin Farm. However, I soon became aware of a rather special location which I could watch from a minor road (B7045) between Kirkmichael and Minishant – Blairbowie.
Peregrine Falcon Predating European Storm Petrel
Hayden Fripp
November 2024
Any sighting of the diminutive European Storm Petrel is a delight in itself and this year in particular has been a bumper year for Ayrshire sightings. My personal tally of sightings whilst sea watching from my favoured spot at Dunure between 23rd May and 30th August is 46 birds with a high count of 15 on 28th June including a flock of ten birds at one point in my scope view. Viewing from Dunure with its height above sea level definitely gives an advantage to seeing Storm Petrels.
Continue readingNovember 2024 Photos
A small update to the Photo Gallery but some cracking images. Firstly, Hayden got lovely pictures of a Yellow-browed Warbler he managed to find at Bracken Bay. This also made it onto the Ayrshire Species List. Then Dave showed that birds don’t need to be rare to be spectacular with his stunning pictures of a Blue Tit in his garden, and a flock of Lapwings.
My thanks to Hayden Fripp and Dave Grant for sending them in.
July 2024 Photos
With birds quietening down after a busy Spring, I can catch up with submissions to the Photo Gallery. As well as a lovely collection of great photos, Hayden managed to also get an entry in the Ayrshire Species List with his picture of a White-billed Diver. I’m sure he won’t mind me saying it isn’t going to win any photographic prizes but it will probably convince the various records committees! (And for those of us still needing this species, it leaves us very envious!) We have photos for most of the species on the Ayrshire List but there are gaps that could be filled, e.g. anyone got any old slides of Roseate Tern from Lady Isle? Or a nice picture of that family of Hawfinches that kept appearing on your bird table…? Please send them in.
My thanks to Hayden Fripp, Dave Grant, Angus Hogg and David Lynn for sending them in.
May 2024 Photos
After the excitement of a certain New World visitor it’s back to our bread-and-butter birds, and what better way to pass a wet Sunday afternoon than to update the Photo Gallery. My thanks to Dave Grant, Angus Hogg and Bruce Kerr for sending them in.