January 2025

Bird Sightings

With a cold spell followed by the red alert named storm, Éowyn, January’s weather was very variable. In comparison to December, January was colder and drier. In comparison to last January, this January was wetter.

There was no shortage of interesting birds. Highlights included over eighty further reports of Little Egret including three on Fisherman’s Walk on 18^th. It will be interesting to see how long Little Egret stay on the island this year. To date there have been no records in the breeding season. When Little Egret eventually do stay to breed, I anticipate that the heronries around the island could prove to be attractive. Other highlights included 6 Stonechat at Torrylinnwater Foot on 1^st, one Jack Snipe on Sliddery Shore on 2^nd, 5 Great Northern Diver off Kildonan on 8^th, 2 Dipper at North Sannox also on 8^th, one White-tailed Eagle over Dippen Head on 9^th, one Water Rail at Imachar on 10^th, one Moorhen on Port na Lochan on 16^th, 4 Goosander and 4 Little Grebe in Loch Ranza on 17^th, 2 Black-throated Divers off Corrie on 20^th, 2 Kingfisher by Brodick pier on 21^st and a female Common Scoter off Pirnmill on 22^nd. The last record of Common Scoter, an occasional visitor, was in May 2024.

Wintering wildfowl included: 48 Pink-footed Geese at Torbeg on 2^nd, a female Goldeneye on Mossend Pond on 3^rd, 17 Whooper Swan flying over Newton on 7^th, 200 Greylag Geese at Feorline on 8^th, 50 Wigeon and 130 Teal at Cosyden on 12^th, 6 White-fronted Geese in Shiskine Valley on 14^th and a Barnacle Goose with 12 Canada Geese on Cleats Shore on 29^th. The last record of Barnacle Goose, an occasional visitor, was in June 2023.

Other wintering species included: 30 Redwing in Auchenhew on 1^st, 20 Fieldfare in East Bennan also in 1^st, one Rook on Sliddery Shore on 6^th, one Dunlin at Blackwaterfoot on 12^th, 9 Purple Sandpipers on Silver Sands on 31^st and a Merlin on Sliddery Shore also on 31^st.

Wintering flocks included: 150 Woodpigeon in Glenkiln on 2^nd, 100 Herring Gull in Pirnmill also on 2^nd, 40 Goldfinch in Machrie Forest also on 2^nd, 15 Long-tailed Tit in North Sannox on 8^th, 50 Ringed Plover in Blackwaterfoot on 12^th, 20 Pied Wagtail on Shiskine Golf Course on also on 12^th, 59 Lapwing in Kilpatrick on 19^th, 100 Jackdaw in Pirnmill on also on 19^th, 120 Common Gull on Fisherman’s Walk on 29^th and 38 Oystercatchers with 86 Curlew on Sliddery Shore on 31^st.

Interesting garden birds in January included: one Great Spotted Woodpecker in Lagg on 14^th, 15 Common Crossbill at Stron na Carraige on 26^th, one Treecreeper in North Newton also on 26^th and a Woodcock in a garden in Lamlash between 20^th and 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 were no reports of returning Gannet. There were a number of reports of returning Shelduck on coastal territories including Auchenhew, Carlo, Clauchlands, Cleats Shore, Cosyden, Kildonan and Slidderywaterfoot. Other signs of approaching spring included 22 Eider with many displaying males off Margnaheglish on 6^th, a Lesser Black-backed Gull in Kilpatrick on 11^th , a Grey Heron nest building in Lagg on 27^th and a Song Thrush singing in Sliddery on 31st. But the winter is not over yet.