Welcome to the Ayrshire Birding web site. This page contains any local bits of news and gossip that might be of interest to birdwatchers in Ayrshire, locals and visitors. The Ayrshire Birding web site contains a wealth of information, articles and images on Ayrshire's birds and butterflies. To explore the site click on the various options on the menu on the left. To submit any news please contact the site maintainer (preferably by email).
Site Updates
The Central Ayrshire RSPB indoor programmes for the coming season is now on the Club Info page. Tony Scott has also sent the latest edition of the Central Ayrshire RSPB members group Gannet newsletter in various pieces: Front, Inside, Outing, Welsh Wonders, Back. He's also sent in the latest issue of the Ayrshire SOC newletter, the Stonechat, this time in one piece.
Kevin Waite, 29 August 2010Site Updates
Tony Scott and Angus Hogg have sent in a comprehensive (and envy-invoking) report of the Ayrshire Birders Abroad trip in May 2010 to Austrian Burgenland and Hungary. It comes as three PDF documents (ask Mr Google if you don't know what this means): Part One, Part Two, Part Three.
My thanks to Gill Smart, SWT's Reserve Manager for the South-west, for helping me update the location entry for the Shewalton cluster of reserves in Irvine. A lot has happened since this entry was written when we put together the Where to Watch guide back in 2003, and I'm hoping to refresh the entries in (rare) spare moments. If anyone has updates for any of the locations I'd happy to make the necessary changes.
Kevin Waite, 11 August 2010SWT Reserves News
At Gailes Marsh the Sand Martins are showing a lot of interest in the artificial nesting bank we built last year. I counted 15 to 20 birds bustling around the holes on my last three visits.
At Knockshinnoch Lagoons work is finally complete on the sluice system that will allow emptying for mud at migration time and filling up for the remainder of the year. The Black-headed Gulls took up residence as soon as the water returned last week so it will be interesting to see how many nest this year – and what else does. Jimmy Begg reported seeing a pair of Gadwall last Wednesday and is excited about Knockshinnoch becoming the only Ayrshire breeding site for this duck.
Last winter at Ayr Gorge Woodlands we installed 50 Pied Flycatcher boxes. It would be good if birders who visit the site would keep an eye out for the bird and let me know if they see any of the boxes in use (by anything).
Gill Smart, SWT Reserves Manager South West, 27 April 2010The Stonechat – Now In Glorious Technicolor!
The Stonechat is the magazine of the Ayrshire branch of the SOC. It is now being edited by Tony Scott and is available now for download in lovely colour. This is a PDF document and will open in a new browser window. (If you don't know what means then ask Mr Google.) This edition has an update on Irvine Bay developments, BTO Atlas status, a few envy-invoking trip reports and a whole lot more.
Kevin Waite, 13 April 2010Ayrshire Bird Report 2008
The Ayrshire Bird Report 2008 is now available from the usual outlets – RSPB Lochwinnoch, The Bookshelf (Newmarket St, Ayr), Visit Scotland Office (Sandgate, Ayr) or, by post, from
Dr R Vernon,29 Knoll Park,
Ayr KA7 4RH
(please enclose £1.00 extra for p&p for this last option).
The price of the report has been held at £4.00 yet again – despite the nation's economic crisis!!
Included in this year's report are articles on the Breeding Warblers of Culzean Country Park and a review of Water Pipit Records in Ayrshire. There are also the annual reports of breeding Kestrels and Sparrowhawks within the county, along with a Chronological Summary of the Ayrshire Birding Year, the Systematic List of the year's bird records, and a complete gazetteer of locations mentioned in the Report.
All in all, still amazing value at £4.00.
Angus Hogg, 16 March 2010Great Ayrshire Bird Race
There were four teams taking part and the winning team was headed by Angus Hogg with Don Smith and Dick Vernon. They had sightings of 90 species and won the Jetwing 'Buddha' Trophy this year.
Second was the team headed by Fraser Simpson with 87 species. Third the Jim Thomson team with 80. Finally the 'Shipmates' team who did the birdwatch around Irvine Harbour, racking up a very respectable 63. In this team with Mike Howes and Duncan Watt was a ten-year old birder who won the 'youngest birder' prize of a one year subscription to SOC.
The “Showing People Birds” event at the Irvine harbour was a huge success. People read details on the Ayrshire Birding website, and reports in the local newspapers and also heard about it on local radio. The weather played large part in the success and we were so pleased to chat to many local people and even some birders from Malta. The Ship Inn supported us and allowed us the use of their upstairs room where we set up displays and had information leaflets on hand for all those who visited us. SOC Ayrshire and the RSPB Central and North Ayrshire groups had displays, as did Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue. Andy and Gay Christie were on hand to talk about their work and we managed to raise £104.00 for their funds.
Tony Scott, 7 March 2010Arran's Hen Harriers
This year some of the Hen Harriers on Arran were wing-tagged. If you see any Hen Harriers with yellow and black wing tags please contact John Rhead with where and when you saw it. More information on this project can be found found here.
Jim Cassels, Bird Recorder for Arran, 30 August 2009RSPB Bogside Reserve
In March 2009, RSPB Scotland acquired a new reserve at Irvine, North Ayrshire with the support of SNH. The 19 ha site forms part of the Bogside Flats SSSI, designated for its saltmarsh and mudflat habitats and is the area between the railway and the River Irvine, behind the old Ayrshire Metals Factory. The reserve is mainly grazed floodplain within a flood defence bund although there is also a small area of saltmarsh. The rough grassland is used as a foraging area by hen harrier and short-eared owl and the site provides a roost site for wintering wildfowl and waders.
This reserve is located within the Irvine Bay Urban Regeneration Area. This area has historically come under considerable development pressure, which continues today with ongoing pressure for new housing, industry and tourism development. Management by RSPB Scotland will ensure this area of the SSSI is protected from damaging development.
RSPB Scotland, 11 August 2009BTO Bird Atlas 2007-2011
This project aims to map the distribution and relative abundance of all Britain and Ireland's birds during both the winter (November-February) and summer (April-July) seasons. This is going to a tough, but rewarding job, to ensure complete coverage of Scotland. We hope that all Scottish birders will help out. Recording is relatively straightforward with both paper and online recording forms. Full details can be found at www.birdatlas.net or by contacting the Scottish organiser.
Bob Swann, Atlas Scottish Organiser, 20 July 2007Ayrshire Bird Rarities Committee (ABRC) Form
Should you be in the fortunate position of seeing a rare bird within the county then you'll be asked to submit a Sightings Form to the ABRC before the sighting is “accepted”. A PDF version of this form is available here for you to print, fill-in and then return to the Recorder. Using this standard form makes things a lot easier for the Recorder and the committee. For a list of what species the ABRC needs a form please consult the Ayrshire Species List looking for species marked with a § (Ayrshire rarity) or ‡ (Scottish/British rarity). This list is also published in the latest edition of the Ayrshire Bird Report.
Kevin Waite, 31 December 2006VitalWeb: Professional Web Development from Ayrshire, Scotland