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.
To be absolutely honest, my initial interest was sparked by one outstanding record which I’d noticed in Gordon Richards’ excellent Checklist of the Birds of Ayrshire (1965-66). This referred to a Lesser Grey Shrike, present at Blairbowie from 15-24 June 1961. Now, who wouldn’t want to see that!? With the unquenchable desire to see as many rarities as possible which comes with youth, I laid plans to have a close look at this site. My surprise was complete when I arrived there, only to find a grassy field, albeit a fairly wet grassy field. Not what I’d expected! However, I was struck by the range of birds on view during that initial mid May trip – lots of gulls, some waders and a few passerines in the hedgerows and nearby marsh on the Nether Culzean side. A bit more investigation was needed.
Situated about a mile to the north-east of Maybole, the field in question is predominantly used for sheep and cattle during the winter-spring period, and for sileage cropping in the summer. Lying on a very flat piece of land, the field is bordered on two sides by a stream, fed from three sources: Drumore Loch, Chapelton Loch and Heart Loch. All 3 burns meet at the south-west corner and flooding occurs quite frequently, especially after a few days of heavy rain. The resulting, standing water forms a pool in the north-east part of the field, which can often extend towards its centre during the winter months. Owing to the lack of any real gradient, the water can remain for weeks, if not months, and proves very attractive to a wide range of birds.
My first assessment of the field at Blairbowie was of a wintering site for scores of wildfowl – Greylag Geese, Whooper Swans, Mallards, Wigeon and Teal. I had noticed some breeding waders whilst there in the spring but, despite seeing my first Lapwing chicks there in May 1972, it was to be some time before its real importance dawned on me. The annual spring gatherings of Curlews – up to 600 – during March/April – were very impressive, and the occasional sighting of something very unusual stuck in my mind.
One such sighting occurred on 23rd May 1977 when passing the field on my way back from a weekend visit to the in-laws. A quick glance towards the flooded part of the field revealed 3 black dots at the water’s edge. I gave this little consideration at the time, but thought it worth a look on the following morning. I was never so glad that the “dots” were still present – 3 gorgeous Spotted Redshanks in full breeding plumage and, to add to that, they were song-flighting over the pool. Some things never leave your memory banks, and I know the glorious sight and sound of those 3 waders never will. Maybe this field had potential?
As the ‘70s unfolded, more information was slowly gathered about just why this was such an important site. Wintering wildfowl numbers reached amazing totals with 1500 Greylags packing on to the grass before departing northwards in April 1977, Mallard numbers regularly reaching 300-400 in the autumn, and strangers dropped in, like a pale-bellied Brent Goose during November 1973 and a Garganey in April 1975. The constant ability to surprise was maintained with records of Long-eared Owl sitting on the roadside hedge on a cold February 1977 evening, 5 Bewick’s Swans spending 8 days there in November 1977, and 1979 providing another wader treat with 32 Ruff, 5 Whimbrels, 4 Greenshanks and 2 Wood Sandpipers putting in appearances.
The ‘80s and ‘90s
Blairbowie was, by now, earning a reputation as a site worth watching during migration periods, and 1980 proved no exception, with the Curlew flock peaking at 600 in the spring, and a group of 3 Wood Sandpipers feeding together there in late July – hard to believe that Ayrshire’s first Wood Sandpiper record was as recent as 1965!
As a breeding location, little had been noted to set the pulses racing, but 1982 saw a pair of Redshank rear 3 young. By the mid-late 1980s my attention turned more towards Lapwings since their activities in the field were always very obvious. By 1989, at least 6 pairs could be found nesting, and the farmer at Blairbowie could not have been more helpful in taking great care to avoid any harm to the nests while using machinery in the field. With his co-operation, a white stick would be placed roughly 5 metres in front of each nest, to warn him as he approached. This simple system worked very well, and virtually no damage occurred to the nests.
Migrant wildfowl still proved a big attraction, a further 2 Bewick’s Swans, 13 Barnacle Geese, 2 Greenland White-fronted Geese and the unlikely appearance of a Goosander profiting from the local burns overflowing and leaving small fish stranded in the floodwater. Scarce waders still dropped in, with Green Sandpiper and Black-tailed Godwit increasing the tally for the field. Another Long-eared Owl appeared in December 1989, replacing the regular sight of a hunting Barn Owl along the roadside verges.
I was now looking at Blairbowie as one of my “local patches” and paying a bit more attention to it, so it can be no surprise that the last decade of the 20th century proved to be even more rewarding. Spring peak numbers of Greylag Goose were slowly declining and the relative novelty of 40 Pink-footed Geese there during February 1990 was soon to disappear.
With the standing water in the pool now often remaining throughout the summer, a wider range of birds were attempting to nest. Two Coots turned up in early April 1991 – by the end of the month there were 6 and a nest had been built, with a second one started during May. Nothing came of these attempts, but things were changing. In 1992, 5 Black-headed Gull nests were built, again with no success. They tried again in 1993 when 3 nests were constructed – this time producing a total of 3 juveniles. An amazing 34 nests in 1994 were, sadly, robbed by a human intruder.
At the north-east end of the field boundary stood a single, mature Ash tree. Full of holes, this old-timer was to provide some amusement during 1995. Tree Sparrow had been a fairly steady visitor to the field during the preceding years, and could usually be seen near the old tree in the spring. However, the variety of sound coming from within it attracted my attention. It had turned into a high-rise apartment block with a pair of Starlings at the top, a pair of House Sparrows just below that, and a pair of Tree Sparrows near the middle. And, they all seemed to get along with each other quite well.
By 1996 the list of species visiting Blairbowie continued to grow (see Appendix) – even the arrival in 1996 of a “new” sub-species, Eurasian White-fronted Goose, was noteworthy. The following year saw the Greylag Goose winter flock peak at almost 1900 in early January. It also turned out to be a good year for breeding waders, with a pair of Curlews successfully rearing young, a pair of Redshanks rearing 2 young, and 7 pairs of Lapwings breeding, with at least 7 young fledging. By the end of the decade, the number of breeding waders was quite impressive, with Lapwings being the most prominent. Eight pairs reared 15 juveniles in 1999, while 2 pairs of Redshanks continued to breed successfully. Migrant waders that year included Little Stint, 2 Green Sandpipers and 2 Wood Sandpipers, but Curlew numbers were falling away rapidly.
Into the 21st Century
A promising start to 2000 saw up to 20 pairs of Lapwings incubating clutches, and a pair of Redshanks back in their corner of the small pool. However, a prolonged period of dry weather spelled disaster for most of the chicks, with only 2 surviving to fledge. This year was to prove the peak of breeding Lapwing numbers.
Although there were to be several good years after 2000, particularly 2006 when 20 juveniles fledged, the decline in both breeding pairs and output was steady. By 2017, the last pairs attempted breeding, and no young had been produced since 2014. There are probably several reasons for this slump, but these will be discussed later. The disappearance of Redshanks as a breeding species proceeded at a similar pace, with the last pair present in 2016.
Of the other species breeding at Blairbowie, Oystercatcher is the only wader, apart from Common Snipe which has attempted nesting, and that has been sporadic. Black-headed Gulls have tried to nest several times, but have fallen victim to fluctuating water levels. In 2005, 22 pairs bred, but only 1 juvenile survived, 13 pairs tried in 2006 but were thwarted by Fox predation as the water level dropped, and a single pair attempted but failed in 2012. A similar fate has affected nesting Coot, Moorhen and Mallard, although the last two species have occasionally enjoyed some success. Northern Shoveler has attempted breeding on one occasion, while Shelduck has produced at least 2 broods over the years.
Perhaps the real value in Blairbowie during the first 2 decades of the 21st century has lain in its ability to provide a stopover site for migrants and a refuge for wintering species. Since 2000 there have been regular and sometimes spectacular gatherings of birds, and one aspect of this site which shouldn’t be under-estimated is its potential to turn up some scarce and unusual birds. A Hobby in May 2001, Tundra Bean Goose and Smew in 2003, Garganey in 2005, 2007 and 2014, Green-winged Teal in 2009, and 2021, Pectoral Sandpiper in 2011, Little Ringed Plover in 2014 etc. However much these species continue to excite, it’s often the appearance of something unexpected which catches the eye – a flock of 47 summer-plumaged Black-tailed Godwits, a flash of azure blue as a Kingfisher darts across the pool, autumn hawthorns sagging under the burden of 1500 Fieldfares or the thrill of a Peregrine chasing waders across the field. But, nature never remains static. More recent years have seen further changes to Blairbowie and its bird communities.
2020 Onwards
Blairbowie today is quite a bit different from when I started to look at it. The field itself has not changed significantly, but factors affecting what appears there have. It is now primarily an important site for transient and wintering species, while the population of breeding species there has declined greatly. The main impact of change has been on waders, with Lapwing and Redshank being the most seriously affected. Redshank has certainly gone for good, and it is questionable whether conditions still exist for the former species to attempt breeding, although 3 or 4 birds are often present each spring. Major problems facing them include a field in which the water body now disappears much more rapidly due partly to improved drainage and changing weather patterns, an increased presence of predators e.g. corvids, gulls and mammalian species like Fox, and the diminished group security which Lapwings experience when their numbers drop, leaving them less able to cope with intruders. Predicting a return by breeding Lapwings is almost impossible, since there is virtually no information on the situation prior to 1970. Greater retention of water in the field would certainly help, but may not be in the interests of the farming activities there.
Hedgerows around the field remain in reasonable condition although, in common with many other local hedges, they don’t possess much growth in the area around the base, thereby reducing the increased availability of both shelter and food. However, this habitat still supports small numbers of breeding birds such as Dunnock, Common Whitethroat and Blackbird. The increasing absence of mature standards like Ash and Oak within these hedgerows further reduces the diversity of breeding species like House Sparrow, Great Tit and Barn Owl. Farmers quite rightly argue that they do not have time to maintain and plant hedgerows and trees, but there is little doubt that the value of what exists at present is a poor second-best.
So, what is the future for the field at Blairbowie? As mentioned earlier, its role today has changed to that of supporting wintering and transient bird species. It’s a great credit to its current owners that it still maintains a great value in that role – indeed, the recent, highly productive period of waders breeding there would not have happened without their interest and support. However, with changing influences such as a less predictable and warming climate, and inconsistent government agricultural policies, it is difficult to envisage a return to the situation which existed 30 years ago. Nonetheless, this single field has, and will continue to provide much interest among the birding community in Ayrshire for many years to come.
List of Bird Species observed at Blairbowie 1970-2024
| Species | Comments |
|---|---|
| Mute Swan | Regular visitor in winter-spring – usually 1-3 birds |
| Bewick’s Swan | Very rare visitor – none in recent years – mostly in autumn |
| Whooper Swan | Varying numbers (ave. 10-15 birds) – Icelandic birds |
| Tundra Bean Goose | One record – (1st Ayrshire record) in Nov 2003 |
| White-fronted Goose | Scarce visitor (mostly Greenland birds) – Eurasian ssp (1st Ayrshire record in Mar 1993) |
| Greylag Goose | Regular Oct-Apr (all records suggest Icelandic origin – a few ferals also) Max count >2000 |
| Canada Goose | Now a regular visitor mostly in winter-spring. Records suggest local feral population origin |
| Barnacle Goose | Erratic – autumn visitor (Svalbard population) – rarely overwinters |
| Brent Goose | Two- single pale-bellied ssp birds Nov 1973 and Jan 2005 |
| Egyptian Goose | One record of this feral species (2019) – the pair bred at Kirkmichael later in year. |
| Shelduck | Usually 2-4 birds/year. Has bred twice |
| Eurasian Wigeon | Regular (probably Icelandic origins) September-April – Count range c 20-200 and steady |
| Gadwall | 1-4 passage birds most years, and increasingly frequent. |
| Green-winged Teal | Two records – drakes in Mar 2009 and Apr 2021 |
| Eurasian Teal | Regularly overwinters from September-late April – Count range c 40-300 and steady |
| Mallard | Common throughout year – breeding less frequently |
| Pintail | Scarce transient (1-5) normally in late Oct-Nov |
| Garganey | Rare transient – 3 or 4 records – mostly May-June |
| Shoveler | Scarce transient – mostly Oct-Nov. Attempted breeding 2006 |
| Pochard | Very few records – only when heavy flooding – no recent records |
| Tufted Duck | Scace visitor – like above sp, only during heavy flooding |
| Goldeneye | Scarce visitor – only during heavy flooding |
| Smew | One record – a “redhead” late Nov-early Dec 2003 |
| Goosander | Very scarce visitor – only during heavy flooding |
| Pheasant | Local breeder based on introduction – visits site – may occasionally breed |
| Little Grebe | Scarce transient – only during heavy flooding |
| Cormorant | Scarce visitor – only during heavy flooding |
| Little Egret | One record – Mar 2022 |
| Grey Heron | Scarce visitor, usually in early autumn (post-breeding birds) |
| Western Marsh Harrier | One record – a male in Apr 2018 |
| Sparrowhawk | Regular visitor to area |
| Common Buzzard | Regular visitor to area |
| Common Kestrel | Infrequent visitor nowadays |
| Merlin | Scarce visitor, mainly in autumn-spring |
| Hobby | One record – 1st year bird May 2001 |
| Peregrine | Regular visitor to area |
| Moorhen | Occasional breeder when water levels high |
| Coot | Scarce spring transient – has attempted breeding (without success) |
| Oystercatcher | Mostly a transient – occasional breeder with low success rate |
| Little Ringed Plover | Very scarce – 3 or 4 records – increasing spring transient |
| Ringed Plover | Scarce spring transient |
| Eur. Golden Plover | Most frequent in spring (Mar-Apr) when flocks may comprise Northern “altifrons” ssp |
| Grey Plover | One record – Apr 1994 |
| Lapwing | up to 20 pairs have attempted breeding, but has not bred since 2017. Winter flocks. |
| Little Stint | One record – Aug 1999 |
| Pectoral Sandpiper | Two records – Sep 1992, Oct 2011 |
| Curlew Sandpiper | One record – Sep 1993 |
| Dunlin | Scarce transient, mostly in spring |
| Ruff | Regular autumn transient, scarce in spring |
| Common Snipe | Most obvious in autumn (Aug-Oct) – has bred |
| Jack Snipe | 2 or 3 records of this transient species – probably overlooked. |
| Black-tailed Godwit | Increasingly regular in spring – 10-40+ birds – Icelandic race |
| Whimbrel | Regular spring transient in small numbers (late Apr-mid Jun) |
| Eurasian Curlew | Spring flocks of 200-600 (Mar-Apr), but declined sharply since 2010 – has bred |
| Spotted Redshank | One record – 3 displaying birds May 1977 |
| Common Redshank | Scarce transient – 2-3 pairs have bred. Last attempted 2016 |
| Greenshank | Scarce transient |
| Green Sandpiper | Very scarce autumn transient |
| Wood Sandpiper | Scarce, but increasing, transient in spring and autumn |
| Common Sandpiper | Scarce spring transient |
| Mediterranean Gull | Scarce spring visitor since 2004 with wintering and migrant gull flocks |
| Black-headed Gull | Has bred in years with high water levels (up to 34 pairs) |
| Common Gull | Common transient, with large spring flocks |
| Lesser Black-b. Gull | Common transient mostly from late Feb – spring counts can exceed 250 |
| Iceland Gull | Scarce but regular, mostly in spring. |
| Herring Gull | Common transient species, with a spring peak to numbers |
| Great Black-b. Gull | Transient species commonest in spring |
| Feral Pigeon | Low numbers occasional over site |
| Stock Dove | Scarce local breeder – occasional on site |
| Woodpigeon | Common local breeder – occasional on site |
| Collared Dove | Common local breeder – occasional on site |
| Common Cuckoo | 1-2 spring transient records |
| Barn Owl | Breeds locally – most often seen Oct-Mar |
| Tawny Owl | Breeds locally – most often seen Oct-Mar |
| Long-eared Owl | Two records – Feb 1977 and Dec 1989 |
| Common Swift | Breeds locally – regularly feeds over site – (May-Aug). Sharp drop in numbers recently |
| Kingfisher | Rare visitor |
| Great Spotted Woodp’r | 1-2 records of dispersing autumn juveniles |
| Skylark | Principally a transient species, although has bred close by |
| Sand Martin | Breeds locally – earliest ever record 8 Mar 2007 – regularly feeds over site (late Mar-Sep) |
| Swallow | Breeds locally – regularly feeds over site – (Apr-Oct) |
| House Martin | Breeds locally – regularly feeds over site – (Apr-Oct) |
| Meadow Pipit | Principally a transient species, although breeds close by |
| Yellow Wagtail | One record – Sep 1993 |
| Grey Wagtail | Breeds locally – regular visitor (Mar-Oct) in very small numbers (1-2) |
| Pied/White Wagtail | Breeds locally – “White” Wagtails regular transients Apr-May |
| Wren | Common hedgerow breeder |
| Dunnock | Common hedgerow breeder |
| Robin | Breeds – regular at site |
| Whinchat | Very scarce spring transient (early May) |
| Stonechat | A few regular transient birds in both seasons – breeds on adjacent Nether Culzean site |
| Northern Wheatear | Regular in varying numbers (1-5 in late Mar-Sep) – occasional spring “leucorrhoa” race birds |
| Blackbird | Breeds locally – autumn numbers augmented by Fenno-Scandian migrants |
| Fieldfare | Principally an autumn transient (Fenno-Scandia, also Iceland) – flocks may exceed 1000 |
| Song Thrush | Breeds locally – local movement from Feb |
| Redwing | Principally an autumn transient (many Iceland birds some years) – returns North Mar |
| Mistle Thrush | Scarce local breeder – occasional on site |
| Grasshopper Warbler | Uncommon spring transient (May) – has bred nearby |
| Sedge Warbler | Occasional breeder – present May-Sep, especially at Nether Culzean |
| Blackcap | Breeds locally – present mid Apr-Oct |
| Garden Warbler | Breeds locally – present mid May-Sep |
| Common Whitethroat | May breed occasionally – present May-Sep |
| Common Chiffchaff | Autumn passage transient |
| Willow Warbler | Common local breeder – present on site Apr-Sep |
| Goldcrest | Principally an uncommon autumn migrant – breeds locally, and feeds in hedgerows |
| Spotted Flycatcher | Present only as an autumn transient – Aug/Sep |
| Blue Tit | Breeds – regular at site |
| Great Tit | Breeds – regular at site |
| Coal Tit | Breeds locally but scarce visitor to hedgerows |
| Lesser Grey Shrike | One record – Jun 1961 – probably a wandering overshoot |
| Jay | One record – 2 birds in Dec 2005 were possibly migrants |
| Magpie | Recent local coloniser – rare visitor to site |
| Jackdaw | Breeds locally – frequent visitor to site |
| Rook | Breeds locally – frequent visitor to site |
| Carrion Crow | 1-2 pairs breed |
| Raven | 1-2 birds present particularly in Oct-Mar period – local breeders |
| Starling | Scarce breeder – local numbers augmented by autumn continental mainland immigration |
| House Sparrow | Breeds – but numbers have declined in past 20 years |
| Tree Sparrow | Former breeder – now a scarce migrant |
| Chaffinch | Breeds – local numbers augmented by autumn immigration |
| Brambling | Very rare visitor – usually seen as a flyover |
| Greenfinch | Breeds locally but scarce- from late Mar – occasional small autumn flocks |
| Goldfinch | Breeds locally – increasing – occasional autumn flocks |
| Siskin | Scarce visitor – usually seen as a flyover |
| Linnet | Occasional visitor to site – breeds locally – spring and autumn flocks (20-100) occur |
| Lesser Redpoll | Scarce – usually seen as a flyover |
| Crossbill | Very scarce – usually seen as a flyover |
| Bullfinch | Scarce – usually seen in Oct-Dec period |
| Yellowhammer | Scarce and declining visitor occasionally feeding on site |
| Reed Bunting | Former breeder – breeds locally at Nether Culzean – regular feeder in low numbers on site |