November 2024
Bird Sightings
The first half of November was particularly benign, dry and mild for the time of year. Later there was a frosty cold spell broken by a storm during which most of the month’s rain fell.
A highlight for the month was on 9th, when there was a report of a male Shoveler. It was first reported on the pond at Port na Lochan and later that day reported on Mossend Pond on the other side of the island. Shoveler is a rare vagrant to Arran. The last Arran report was a male by Fisherman's Walk on 24 May 2015. This November, the Shoveler was last reported on 14th.For more information click here. Intriguingly also on Mossend Pond on 9th was a male Tufted Duck. Tufted Duck is an occasional visitor to Arran. The last Arran report was a male on Mossend Pond on 26 June 2021.
Not surprisingly in November, winter visitors were to the fore. Fieldfare and Redwing continued to be reported throughout the month. The largest group of Fieldfare was five hundred in Glen Sannox on 3rd and the largest group of Redwing was four hundred at Kingscross on 10th. Other reports included three Brambling in Pirnmill on 19th and two reports of wintering Blackcap in gardens, one in Sliddery and one in Corriecravie both on 27th. Unlike last November when there were six reports of Waxwing, there were no reports of Waxwing this November.
Other records of wintering birds included: a Bar-Tailed Godwit and a Dunlin on Silver Sands on 3rd, forty Turnstone at Blackwaterfoot on 5th, three hundred Kittiwake by Fisherman’s Walk on 12th, a Merlin hunting over the Rodden on 15th and one Golden Plover in Catacol Bay on 17th.
Reports of wintering wildfowl included: one hundred and ninety Greylag Geese and twenty-two Pink-footed Geese in Sliddery on 4th, twenty-nine Whooper Swan flying over Newton on 10th, eighteen Teal at Carlo on 28th and thirty Wigeon in the Shiskine Valley on 30th.
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: five Long-tailed Tit in Pirnmill on 3rd, a Yellowhammer in Pirnmill on 12th, a Treecreeper in Pirnmill on 15th, twelve Blackbird in Margnaheglish on 19th, a Siskin in Corrie on 24th, ten Blue Tit in Sliddery on 27th, a Goldcrest in Kildonan on 28th and twenty-five Chaffinch in Lagg on 29th.
In November there are occasionally records of birds usually associated with warmer months of the year. The only report this year was a Gannet off Pirnmill on 3rd.
Here is a further selection of highlights from what has been another exceptional month for bird-watching on Arran: four Great Northern Diver off Pirnmill on 3rd, a Moorhen on Mossend Pond on 11th, fifty Curlew in Corriecravie on 13th, fifteen Bullfinch in High Kildonan on 17th, forty-six Ringed Plover at Sandbraes on 21st, two Goosander in Loch Ranza on 26th, two Shelduck at Slidderywaterfoot on 28th, one sub-adult White-tailed Eagle over Kingscross Point also on 28th, fifty Common Crossbill in Dippin on 29th and a Nuthatch in Brodick Castle Gardens on 30th. This was only the second report of Nuthatch this year.
Finally Little Egret. In November sixty reports of Little Egret were received from all round Arran’s coast. Last November twenty-three reports were received. This November three of reports were of three Little Egret together , thirteen reports were of two birds together and the rest of the reports were of single birds. On 24 November there were reports of three at Merkland Point, two at Cordon and two at South Carlo and one at Lochranza. I know they can fly, and some birds may be appearing in more than one report. From the information that I have at the moment there are at least three Little Egret on Arran but there could be more. All reports of Little Egret including the time of the sighting would be appreciated
