The Central Ayrshire RSPB Members Group, in conjunction with South Ayrshire Council, are pleased to offer two opportunities for bird walks on Saturday 10th April 2011. As always, nature lovers of all ages, families and friends, are very welcome to join us on either or both of these dawn chorus strolls filled with birdsong. The walks are FREE, and they start and finish at the entrance to Rozelle House, Ayr. Everyone welcome. For more details see the poster .

Here is the penultimate BTO Bird Atlas in Ayrshire Newsletter 

My name is Paul McDonald. I am working on BTCV Scotland’s Wildlife Counts Programme this year and would like to take the opportunity to tell you about our latest project in your area: the Wildlife Counts Biodiversity Mentorship programme.

BTO Scotland, in partnership with the Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park Ranger Service, are running a training course on Sunday 27th March to introduce the online bird recording system BirdTrack (suitable for beginners) and the Breeding Bird Survey, the UK’s number one breeding bird monitoring scheme (ideally suited to anyone who can identify birds by sight, song and call). Click here for more information . (Yes, I know they can’t spell “visitor” :-)

The Troon Times are reporting poisoned rabbit carcasses being left in Fullarton Woods in Troon.  A woman’s dog was poisoned in the woods – the dog survived.  She found that the cause was dead rabbits laced with poison placed in trees.  Two buzzards have subsequently been found dead.  The police have launched an investigation.  If you should come across anything suspicious (not just in Fullarton) then do the following:

• Note the location
• If you have a camera take some pictures (close-up and contextual)
• Don’t touch it or allow animals or children to come into contact
• Inform the local police.
• (Web-master: When caught the perpetrators (the politest word I can use) should be made to eat a big portion of poisoned rabbit stew. I’d happily post the resulting video.)

Kestrels for Company, by Gordon Riddle

Gordon Riddle’s new book Kestrels for Company is soon to be published by Whittles Publishing. Please go to the web site for more details and to order a copy. Readership: Kestrels for Company will appeal to a wide audience including all those with a special interest in raptors, birding enthusiasts, and everyone interested in nature and conservation.

As you all know, the Hunterston area attracts a large number of birds especially waders and wildfowl and is one of the most important sites in the county for birds such as Greenshank and Bar-tailed Godwit to name but few. Not forgetting rarities such as Little Egret, Garganey, and Blue-headed Wagtail. Needless to say the proposal to build a coal fired power station on this SSSI site would have a devastating impact. In late September 2010 a team of three sand artists, led by Jamie Wardley, and around 0 volunteers turned Irvine beach into a sweeping range of wading bird silhouettes outlined with the names of objectors to the proposal. Coverage of the event was widespread, with Jamie’s second design of a child’s face surrounded by cracked earth, appearing in publications such as The Times, The Scotsman, The Metro and even the San Francisco Chronicle! If you would like to add your voice to our campaign then please visit www.rspb.org.uk/hunterston

Would you like to make the most of your bird ID skills and take part in one of the UK钒s most important conservation projects?

RSPB’s Volunteer & Farmer Alliance Project (V&FA) is a UK wide project which offers farmers and crofters free farmland bird surveys. Since it first started more than 10 years ago, over 5000 farms have been surveyed across the UK. Over 500 farms have been surveyed in Scotland, and we look to survey approximately 120 farms in Scotland each year.

The Stonechat is the magazine of the Ayrshire branch of the SOC. It is now being edited by Tony Scott and is available now for download  in lovely colour. This edition covers the Branch helping celebrate the 75th anniversary of the SOC with a project to encourage young children to watch birds; the first in a new series by Angus Hogg on getting the most out of birding locations; a detailed, envy-invoking report on recent trips by Ayrshire Birders Abroad; and the latest news.

The frozen SWT reserve at Knockshinnoch had a grand total of 7 birds today: one Heron, 2 Mallard, Teal and one Water Rail.  The latter gave one of the best views I’ve ever had as it ventured out onto the partially melting ice to feed.  It came within 3m and totally ignored me and a mad Springer Spaniel.  I managed to get a couple of shots and a bit of video (with a compact camera, so don’t expect BBC HD).  As this was the first photo of a Water Rail I even managed to get an entry on the Ayrshire Species List – which just shows that anyone can do it with a bit of luck!

Water Rail, ©K.Waite, 2010

Water Rail, ©K.Waite, 2010