January 2023

Bird Sightings

In comparison to last January, January 2023 was wetter and colder. The rainfall was more than double that of last year. The first two weeks were wet and windy. It was cold from the 16^th for a few days with reasonable snowfall to sea-level overnight on the 18^th-19^th. The weather then returned to wet and windy. This weather was not conducive to being out of doors and perhaps this influenced the reduction in species reported this January (ninety) compared to last January (ninety-eight).

Having said that, there was no shortage of interest. Highlights included thirty-two further reports of Little Egret. While most reports were from the east coast there were two from the west coast. All were single birds except for two in at South Carlo on 8^th. It will be interesting to see how long they stay on the island this year. Last year 2022, there were records from the start of the year to 22 May and from 13 August to 31 December. When Little Egret eventually do stay to breed, I anticipate that the heronries around the island could prove to be attractive. Another species that may be establishing to breed is Goosander. There were fifteen records in January including three at Cordon on 1^st and three at Dougarie on 26^th. Other highlights included reports of all three divers including, three Black-throated Diver by the Fallen Rocks on 1^st, one Red-throated Diver off Pirnmill on 7^th and 4 Great Northern Diver off Corrie on 26^th. In addition, there were two reports of Kingfisher, one by Fisherman’s Walk on 20^th and one by Rubha Salach on 26^th.

Wintering wildfowl included: ten Whooper Swan by Pirnmill on 6^th, one hundred and twenty Pink-footed Geese in Kilmory on 15^th, fifty-five Teal at Carlo also on 15^th, five White-fronted Geese at Feorline on 26^th, one hundred and eighty Greylag Geese at Clauchlands on 27^th, twelve Wigeon in Machrie Bay on 28^th and two male Goldeneye on Mossend Pond on 29^th.

Other wintering species included: one Rook at Clachaig Farm on 2^nd, one Brambling at Pirnmill also on 2^nd, seven Yellowhammer in Sliddery on 15^th, four Purple Sandpiper at Silver Sands on 16^th, twenty-five Redwing in Kildonan on 19^th, one Dunlin in Whiting bay on 22^nd and one Fieldfare in Glenkiln on 30^th.

Wintering flocks included: seventy Bullfinch feeding on heather in Kildonan on 1^st, forty-five Lapwing on Cleats Shore on 2^nd, thirty Siskin in Pirnmill also on 2^nd, one hundred Ringed Plover by Fisherman’s Walk on 9^th, twenty Woodpigeon in Torbeg also on 9^th, twenty-five Oystercatcher in Strabane on 14^th, one hundred and forty-two Starling in Sliddery on 15^th, thirty-eight Canada Geese in Clachaig on 21^st, fifteen Turnstone in Whiting Bay on 22^nd, sixty Chaffinch in Strathwillan on 24^th, twenty Blackbird feeding on kelp on Silver Sands on 26^th, sixteen Goldfinch in South Kiscadale on 28^th, thirty-two Curlew by Cleiteadh Buidhe on 29^th and eighty Common Gull feeding on a manured field in Kildonan on 30^th.

Interesting garden birds in January included: one Goldcrest in Pirnmill on 1^st, twenty Long-tailed Tit in Corrie on 8^th, two Treecreeper in Machrie on 12^th, two Great Spotted Woodpecker in Lagg on 25^th, one female Blackcap in Alma Park on 26^th and no less than five Robin in Kingscross on 29^th. In a future Bird Note, there will be a report on the Arran RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch Weekend held over the last weekend in January.

In January there was one report of returning Gannet, one off Kildonan on 13^th. There were a number of reports of returning Shelduck on coastal territories including Clauchlands, Cleats Shore, Cosyden, Kildonan, Machrie and Merkland Point. Other signs of approaching spring included: fourteen Grey Heron displaying in trees near the heronry on Brodick on 27^th, a Song Thrush singing in Kildonan on 27^th, twenty-three Eider displaying off Pirnmill on 28^th and a pair of Collared Dove nesting in Whiting Bay on 29^th. But the winter is not over yet.