Arctic Terns, Meikle Craigs, ©David Lynn, 2022

Common Tern, Stevenston Point, ©David Lynn, 2022

Ruff, Martnaham, ©Dave Grant, 2022

Immature Hen Harrier, South Ayrshire, ©Angus Hogg, 2022

As more wet and windy weather hits I took the opportunity to catch up on the photos sent in over the summer. It’s comforting to look back on birds against blue skies and David Lynn’s picture of Arctic Terns does the job and nicely complemenets his other picture of a Common Tern. Dave Grant has started a whole new genre with his set of gull chick pics. Aaaww. Bob Ross got a great picture of a Great Northern Diver in summer plumage from the ferry coming into Loch Ryan: I’ve decided that it was definitely on the Ayrshire side of the loch! As usual, these are just a taste of what has been added to the Photo Gallery.  My thanks to Hayden Fripp, Dave Grant, Angus Hogg, David Lynn and Bob Ross for sending them in.

Pair of Great Crested Grebe, Martnaham, ©Dave Grant, 2022

Garganey, Capringstone, ©David Lynn, 2022

Willow Tit, Bogton, ©Dave Grant, 2022

Yellow Wagtail (British race), Bourtreehill, Irvine, ©Angus Hogg, 1970s

In a desperate attempt to clear the decks before the arrival of the Spring photos, here’s a quick update with some late Winter photos. I’ve also included a very old picture from Angus of a Yellow Wagtail taken back in the 1970s taken on something called “film”. :-)   As usual, these are just a taste of what has been added to the Photo Gallery.  My thanks to Dave Grant, Angus Hogg, Bruce Kerr and David Lynn for sending them in.

Every now and then the birding professionals at the BOU declare that the way we order our lists is all wrong and needs to be sorted. So they have lengthy and heated meetings where lots of Latin gets banded about, and then produce their new taxonomy. Well, here in Ayrshire, we like to keep up-to-date with this and so the Ayrshire Species List has had its decadal refresh. I won’t spoil the ending, but here are some highlights:

• Lots of species now have a geographic prefix, e.g. Western Jackdaw and Atlantic Puffin.
• Other species get a title bump, e.g. Great Cormorant (that’s going to annoy the anglers!)
• Some sub-species have been added for the anoraks specialist birders, e.g. Greenland Wheatear.
• Some things pop up in unexpected places, e.g. why aren’t Spotted and Pied Flycatcher together?

I’d like to thank Angus Hogg for doing the tedious list updates and for sending in some historical photos to use in the list for stuff no longer with us, e.g. Reeve’s Pheasant, Yellow Wagtail and Corn Buntings.

Our neighbours in the Clyde SOC Branch have just launched their own website. You can visit it at https://www.birdsinclyde.scot. It looks great.

Pallas's Warbler, ©Angus Hogg, 2022

Snow Bunting, ©David Lynn, 2022

Barnacle Geese, ©Angus Hogg, 2022

Black-necked Grebe, ©Dave Grant, 2022

Cetti's Warbler, ©Hayden Fripp, 2022

Ring-necked Parakeet, ©Dave Grant, 2021

Well, didn’t 2021 end on a bit of excitement?  Sure, there were a number of “firsts” such as the Pallas’s Warbler at Auchinleck House and the Cetti’s Warbler at Stevenston, and rarities such as the Black-necked Grebe at Martnaham.  But, for real standout splendor, you just can’t beat the Ring-necked Parakeet in Kilmarnock.  What a winter!  I’ve shown a taster here: please see the Photo Gallery for all the goodies.  Obviously, some of these make it onto the Ayrshire Species List with the associated glory and riches†.

My thanks to Hayden Fripp, Dave Grant, Angus Hogg, Bruce Kerr and David Lynn for sending in their pictures.

In December last year things got interesting when a visiting Australian birder found Ayrshire’s first Pallas’s Warbler. Angus Hogg has written an article describing how it was found and the excitement that ensued. This is the latest in the series of longer articles we have.

Wood Sandpiper, ©Angus Hogg, 2021

Crossbill, ©Angus Hogg, 2021

Purple Sandpiper, ©Dave Grant, 2021

Starling, ©Dave Grant, 2021

A driech Sunday morning gave the chance to avoid the gardening and catch up on the backlog for the Photo Gallery. I’ve included a few here – please see the Gallery for the others. My thanks (again) go to Dave Grant and Angus Hogg for their contributions.

Drake Tufted Duck, Culzean, ©Angus Hogg, 2021

Ringed Plovers, Maidens, ©Angus Hogg, 2021

Cormorant, Irvine, ©David Lynn, 2021

Curlew flock, Martnaham, ©Dave Grant, 2021

Treecreeper, Coylton, ©Dave Grant, 2021

Dunnock, Troon, ©Bruce Kerr, 2021

It’s a bit of a misnomer to call these “Spring 2021 Photos” as they have been in my inbox for months, continually reminding me they haven’t been processed. Finally I succumbed and I’ve now caught up with the backlog for the Photo Gallery. I’ve included a few here – please see the Gallery for the others. You’ll notice that the ones here are (mostly) our common ones but still stunning or odd (such as Angus’s partial albino Ringed Plover). Pictures of our rarer winter guests are covered in other posts. Despite my vow to not indulge the Gull Brigade, Bruce’s picture of an Iceland Gull was just too good…

My thanks (again) go to Dave Grant, Angus Hogg, Bruce Kerr and David Lynn and for their contributions.

Angus Hogg has been busy writing up his sighting of a Sooty Tern at Maidens in 2020. This not only covers this first for Ayrshire but is an excellent example of how to write-up such a sighting. This has been added to our growing list of longer Articles. Please enjoy.