November 2021

Bird Sightings

In comparison to October, November had less than half the rainfall of October. Both months were mild, but November had the first named storm of the winter. In comparison to last November while temperatures were similar, this November had almost half the amount of rain as last November.

The November highlight was the first confirmed record of Siberian Chiffchaff on Arran. This bird was trapped, ringed, photographed, identified, and released by licensed bird ringers on Saturday 13 November in a garden in Sliddery. This featured in a recent “Banner Bird Note”.

Not surprisingly in November, winter visitors were to the fore. These included two Brambling in Sliddery on 1^st, twenty-two Twite at Machriewaterfoot on 4^th, a Snow Bunting on Beinn a’ Chliabhain on 7^th, five Yellowhammer in Sliddery on 13^th, a number of flocks of Redwing including sixty in Shannochie on 15^th and after a dearth of Fieldfare records in October a number of flocks including three hundred in Lochranza on 21^st.

Other records of wintering birds included: a juvenile Merlin at Drumadoon Point on 2^nd, one hundred and twenty Golden Plover at Machriewaterfoot on 4^th, five Rook in Auchenhew also on 4^th, twelve Turnstone at Sandbraes on 7^th, twenty-one Snipe and nine Woodcock in Sliddery on 10^th, one hundred and five Curlew on Corriecravie shore on 20^th, twelve Lapwing at Port na Feannaiche on 28^th and one Jack Snipe in Sliddery also on 28^th.

Reports of wintering wildfowl included: two Wigeon at Clauchlands on 9^th, two Goldeneye at Kingscross Point also on 9^th, seventy Pink-footed Geese flying over Sliddery on 13^th, one Whooper Swan on Mossend Pond on 14^th, two hundred and twenty Greylag Geese in the Shiskine Valley on 15^th, thirty-five Teal on Corriecravie shore on 20^th and one Brent Goose on Silver Sands on 21^st.

Gardens are safe refuges during the winter months with many people providing regular food and water for their feathered friends. These are a small selection from the many reports from gardens round the island in November: a male Blackcap in Whiting Bay on 8^th, four Long-tailed Tit in Lamlash on 17^th, a Goldcrest in Pirnmill on 20^th, four Great Tit in Shannochie on 21^st, a Treecreeper in Whiting Bay also on 21^st, eight Coal Tit in Margnaheglish on 29^th and eight Coal Tit and two Great Spotted Woodpecker in Lagg also on 29^th.

There were two November records of birds usually associated with warmer months of the year, a Wheatear at Drumadoon Point on 2^nd and a Swallow at Sliddery on 5^th.

Finally, here is a further selection of highlights from what has been another exceptional month for bird-watching on Arran; a Little Egret by Fisherman’s Walk on 3^rd, twelve Black-headed Gull at Sandbraes also on 3^rd, a White-tailed Eagle over the entrance to Glen Catacol on 7^th, three Bullfinch in Corriecravie quarry on 15^th, a Kingfisher flying under the footbridge by the museum on 19^th, three Golden Eagle including one sub-adult over the distillery in Lochranza also on 19^th, five Great Northern Diver off Drumadoon Point on 21^st, around two hundred Jackdaw coming in to roost in trees in Machrie on 22^nd, five returning Shelduck in Pirnmill also on 22^nd and four calling Water Rail in Corriecravie on 23^rd.

Last but by no means least was the appearance of three Red Kite flying west from the “Heights” between Lamlash and Whiting Bay. The previous month there had been a report of six Red Kite together in the Shiskine Valley. Both are remarkable records. Red Kite records on Arran are usually of single birds.