August 2024

Bird Sightings

In August the strange, unsettled summer continued. In comparison to last August this August was wet with three times as much rain as last August. Towards the end of the month a succession of storms including named storms came through giving an autumnal feel to the weather.

One result of this stormy period were reports of two different oceanic species in the waters around Arran perhaps being swept into the comparative calm of the Firth of Clyde; a Cory’s shearwater from the Brodick/Troon ferry on 27^th and a Sooty Shearwater off Kilpatrick on 28^th. Both these reports require ratification by the appropriate rarities committee before acceptance.

In August, summer visitors continued to be to the fore including: three Sedge Warbler in Kildonan on the 1^st, a family of Spotted Flycatcher in Whiting Bay also on 1^st, fourteen Lesser Black-backed Gull on Fisherman’s Walk on 3^rd, a Blackcap in Corrie on 6^th, twenty Willow Warbler in Corriecravie on 11^th and also on 11^th, a Swift over Sliddery was only the third report of the summer. Last summer fifteen reports of Swift were received. The largest group of each hirundine reported was forty-two House Martin at Clauchlands Farm on 6^th, twenty Sand Martin in Glen Catacol on 21^st and forty Swallow at Pirnmill on 30^th. In addition, there was a mixed flock of over one hundred hirundine at Sliddery on 11^th. Please try to give me your last record for Swallow and House Martin this year. Last year there were October records for both species. To date I have received no August records of Cuckoo.

Some other signs of successful breeding this month included: a family of Common Sandpiper at Cladach on 1^st, a female Mallard with four young at Porta Buidhe also on 1^st, a pair of Mute Swan with five young at Port na Lochan on 13^th, a family of Whinchat in Glen Rosa on 27^th and a family of Grey Wagtail in Kildonan on 28^th. Last year over thirty reports of Sparrowhawk hunting in gardens were received. These were mainly young birds. This year only eighteen reports have been received perhaps reflecting a poorer breeding season.

In August, breeding is coming to an end, birds begin to disperse, and a number of species begin to flock together, some in preparation for migration. These included: forty-five Curlew at Corriecravie on 11^th, fifty-nine Golden Plover at Machriewaterfoot on 20^th, one hundred and eighty Ringed Plover at Dougarie on 22^nd, two hundred Kittiwake in Brodick Bay also on 22^nd, eighty Common Gull but only one juvenile at Blackwaterfoot also on 22^nd, fifteen Redshank in Whiting Bay on 23^rd, thirty Red-breasted Merganser in Pirnmill on 29^th, thirty-six Linnet in Strathwillan also on 29^th and one hundred and twenty-four Greylag Geese flying over Feorline on 30^th.

All around the island, but particularly on the coast, there were signs of birds on migration, including; four Sanderling in Blackwaterfoot on 20^th, three Sandwich Tern and two Arctic Tern in Whiting Bay on 22^nd, fifty-six Turnstone at Dougarie on 23^rd, two White Wagtail in Kildonan on 26^th, a Whimbrel and a Bar-tailed Godwit at Kilpatrick also on 26^th and a Black-tailed Godwit at Kilpatrick on 27^th. Last August there were no reports of dispersing Kingfisher. This August there were six Kingfisher reports but no August reports of Little Egret. Last year there was one Little Egret report in August.

Among the one hundred plus species reported in August there were a number of other noteworthy ones including: eight Common Crossbill in Brodick Country Park on 2^nd, three hundred Manx Shearwater passing Drumadoon Point also on 2^nd, four Strom Petrel from Ardrossan/Brodick ferry on 9^th, two Little Grebe by Fisherman’s Walk on 11^th and two adult White-tailed Eagle at Kilpatrick Point on 26^th.

September sees the start of the peak migration season when many birds are on the move. It is the time to expect the unexpected. I look forward to hearing from you.