Michael Howes
January 2025

The interesting thing about Birds of New Cumnock Parish is that as well as containing detailed records and quantitative data, it also includes general observations covering a period of major change in the New Cumnock area. Changes in land management, ’agricultural improvements’, the continuation of blanket forestry, the end of deep mining, the rise and fall of surface mining, and the current relentless encroachment on the high ground of wind farms has all impacted the local bird life. This is on top of effects of climate change and the general widespread decline of some species.

Gone also are the glory days of Knockshinnoch Lagoons where birders eyes were well and truly opened to the potential of a migration hotspot located well inland at a geographically strategic spot. The list of species that occurred during the relatively short period when the lagoons were in their prime is amazing. I lived in New Cumnock for a short while and have watched the area regularly for the past 45 years. In that time, I have witnessed the mega changes that have taken place and it is fascinating to note how things have continued to change post 2010.

To illustrate how things have moved on I have prepared two articles. This one, detailing records and sightings in New Cumnock Parish post 2010, and a second article to be posted in the near future showing changes in selected breeding bird distributions.

Additional sightings and observations, 2010–present

To make a comparison between 2010 and now I have, firstly, assembled all available published records for the last 14 years and grouped them into three categories:

1. New species recorded 2010-2024 that do not appear on the original checklist.
2. Species recorded 2010-2024 that have only 5 or fewer previous references.
3. Notable records of species recorded since 2010 that have 5 or more previous references.

All records are for the Parish (Community Council) area as shown in Figure 1 below.

In the list below I have not added the names of the individuals who submitted the records. This is because I do not have details of all observers and it would be unrepresentative to include a chosen few. Credit must be given to all who submitted the records without whose efforts our knowledge of the New Cumnock area would be greatly diminished.

Species recorded since 2009 that do not appear in the 2010 checklist

Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens)    Adult first seen at Auchincross on 18^th October 2019, last seen 25^th February 2020.

Tundra Bean Goose  (Anser serrirostris)  2 Nith Valley from 17^th–24^th November 2011.
2 Nith Valley 17-28^th February 2021.

Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata)  1 at Loch o’ the Lowes on 27^th May 2016.

American Wigeon (Mareca americana)   1 male at Auchincross on 16^th April 2022.

Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)   A male at Auchincross from 28^th December 2021 to 19^th February 2022 (briefly at Loch o’ the Lowes on 9th January) and then at Creoch Loch on 6^th March 2022.

Red-legged Partridge (Alectoris rufa)   Present at Craigdullyeart during the 2010 breeding season.

Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius)   2 at Auchincross on 23^rd June 2019, 1 at Auchincross on 5^th April and 30^th April 2020.

Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica)  3 at Auchincross on 19^th July 2022.

Mediterranean Gull (Ichthyaetus melanocepphalus)   1 at Overcairn, Nith Valley on 23^rd March 2020.

Great Egret (Ardea alba)  1 at Loch o’ the Lowes on 11^th July 2023, 1 at Loch o’ the Lowes and subsequently Black Loch and Auchincross, 15–17^th November 2024.

Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus)    1 at Black Loch in June 2011 and probably the same bird from 3^rd to 22^nd July 2011 at Loch o’ the Lowes. 1 at Loch o’ the Lowes on 2^nd June 2014. Breeding occurred at Loch o’ the Lowes in 2022 and 2023 with juveniles being seen in both years. A single bird was present at Loch o’ the Lowes from 30th May 2024, with 2 singing males present on 19 June 2024.

Species recorded 2010–2024 that have only 5 or fewer previous references

Greenland White-fronted Goose   (Anser albifrons flavirostris)  6 Auchincross 25^th February and 12 on 5^th and 10^th March 2020. 5 in Nith Valley 26^th December 2021.

Ring-necked Duck  (Aythya collaris)   A male Loch o’ the Lowes 24^th October – 10^th November 2011, a male Loch o’ the Lowes 12–13^th March 2014, a male Loch o’ the Lowes 5^th– 27^th March 2016, a male at Auchincross 3^rd January – 3^rd March 2022.

Smew  (Mergellus albellus)    Female at Loch o’ the Lowes on 15^th November 2013,  22^nd January 2014 and 12–14^th March 2014. A pair were present at Auchincross 11–12^th May 2021.

Common Quail (Coturnix coturnix)   1 calling Watstonburn 26^th May 2021.

Iceland Gull  (Larus glaucoides)   Juvenile Loch o’ the Lowes 12–13^th March 2014. Juvenile/1w Overcairn, Nith Valley, 8^th November 2020.

Northern Gannet  (Morus bassanus)   1 flying over Auchincross on 26^th September 2020.

Little Egret  (Egretta garzetta)    1 in the Nith Valley on 28^th December 2023 and possibly also Auchincross.

Western Osprey  (Pandion haliaetus) Recent records include 1 Auchincross 26^th September 2020 and 1 Glen Afton Reservoir 23^rd September 2023.

Eurasian Hobby (Falco subbuteo)  1 at Auchincross 1^st August 2022.

Notable records of species recorded since 2010 that have 5 or more previous mentions

Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)  2 Loch o’ the Lowes 28^th March 2013. 1 Knockshinnoch 16^th April 2015. 1 on 9^th June 2022 and on 23^rd March 2023 both at Auchincross. 2 on 16^th February 2024 at Auchincross.

Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis)   Juvenile at Loch o’ the Lowes 4-15^th November 2013. 1 fem/juv Loch o’ the Lowes 21–26^th October 2021.

Eurasian Dotterel  (Charadrius morinellus) Small passage (1–5 birds) continues to be noted most years on Blackcraig, Glen Afton late April to early May.

Lesser Black- backed Gull  (Larus fuscus)  No record of breeding in the area until 4 pairs in 2012.

Western Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)  1-2 recorded on passage at Auchincross between July and November in all of the years from 2021 to 2024 .

Red Kite (Milvus milvus)   Has become a regular visitor to the area and possibly breeds.

Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus)   A rapid decline in sightings and breeding pairs. 2 pairs were reported on suitable breeding habitat in 2010 and a single bird in 2021. A pair with two young at Watstonburn in 2022 but there are no subsequent breeding records. There are three winter records for Auchincross.

Ring Ouzel (Turdus torquatus) 1 Blackcraig Farm, Glen Afton 11^th April 2010 and 1 Boltcraig Hill, Glen Afton 12^th April 2012. 1 at Glen Afton on 26^th March 2017.

Willow Tit (Poecile montanus)  1 present April to June 2011 at Knockshinnoch Lagoons. Occasional single birds reported from Glen Afton.

Wood Warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatrix)  Single birds in early May at Glen Afton in 2013, 2023 and 2024.

Eurasian Nuthatch (Sitta europeaa)  Since 2010 has continued to spread and is widely established.

Yellowhammer  (Emberiza citrinella)  There is a breeding record for Loch o’ the Lowes for 2016. This is the last breeding record for this species in the Parish.

I would very much appreciate notification of any additions or corrections to the above lists.

Sources

• Begg, J. A.  (2010) Birds of New Cumnock Parish and Knockshinnoch Lagoons 1959-2010 Scottish Wildlife Trust.
• Ayrshire Bird Reports 2010-2021
• Ayrshire Birds WhatsApp Group 2022-2024
• Personal communications and notes

Appendix: New Cumnock Parish Checklist

Black Swan*	Marsh Harrier	Great Black-backed Gull	Willow Warbler
Mute Swan	Hen Harrier	Common Tern	Goldcrest
Bewicks Swan	Goshawk	Black Tern	Spotted Flycatcher
Whooper Swan	Sparrowhawk	Stock Dove	Pied Flycatcher
Snow Goose	Buzzard	Turtle Dove	Long-tailed Tit
Bean Goose	Golden Eagle	Wood Pigeon	Blue Tit
Pink-footed Goose	Osprey	Collared Dove	Great Tit
White-fronted Goose	Kestrel	Cuckoo	Coal Tit
Greylag Goose	Merlin	Barn Owl	Willow Tit
Greater Canada Goose	Hobby	Tawny Owl	Nuthatch
Barnacle Goose	Peregrine	Long-eared Owl	Tree Creeper
Shelduck	Water Rail	Short-eared Owl	Great Grey Shrike
Mandarin Duck*	Spotted Crake	Swift	Jay
Wigeon	Corncrake	Kingfisher	Magpie
American Wigeon	Moorhen	Great Spotted Woodpecker	Jackdaw
Gadwall	Coot	Skylark	Rook
Teal	Oystercatcher	Sand Martin	Carrion Crow
Mallard	Little Ringed Plover	Swallow	Raven
Pintail	Ringed Plover	House Martin	Starling
Garganey	Dotterel	Tree Pipit	House Sparrow
Shoveler	Golden Plover	Meadow Pipit	Tree Sparrow
Pochard	Lapwing	Rock Pipit	Chaffinch
Ruddy Duck	Knot	Yellow Wagtail	Brambling
Ring-necked Duck	Sanderling	Grey wagtail	Greenfinch
Tufted Duck	Little Stint	Pied Wagtail	Goldfinch
Scaup	Dunlin	Waxwing	Siskin
Lesser Scaup	Ruff	Dipper	Linnet
Long-tailed Duck	Jack Snipe	Wren	Twite
Goldeneye	Snipe	Dunnock	Lesser Redpoll
Smew	Woodcock	Robin	Crossbill
Goosander	Black-tailed Godwit	Redstart	Bullfinch
Red Grouse	Bar-tailed Godwit	Black Redstart	Snow Bunting
Black Grouse	Whimbrel	Whinchat	Yellowhammer
Red-legged Partridge	Curlew Sandpiper	Stonechat	Reed Bunting
Grey Partridge	Spotted Redshank	Wheatear	Corn Bunting
Quail	Redshank	Ring Ouzel
Pheasant	Greenshank	Blackbird
Little Grebe	Green Sandpiper	Fieldfare
Great Crested Grebe	Wood Sandpiper	Song Thrush
Slavonian Grebe	Common Sandpiper	Redwing
Fulmar	Wilson’s Phalarope	Mistle Thrush
Manx Shearwater	Long-tailed Skua	Grasshopper Warbler
Gannet	Mediterranean Gull	Sedge Warbler
Cormorant	Little Gull	Reed Warbler
Bittern	Black-headed Gull	Blackcap
Great White Egret	Common Gull	Garden Warbler
Little Egret	Lesser Black-backed Gull	Lesser Whitethroat
Grey Heron	Herring Gull	Common Whitethroat
White Stork*	Iceland Gull	Wood Warbler
Red Kite		Chiffchaff

* Denotes an escape