machrihanish seabird & wildlife observatory€¦ · web viewthis bird was ringed at msbo on...

Machrihanish Seabird Observatory Established 1993

25 th Year March Report 2018

Compiled by Eddie Maguire (Warden)Wardens New Mobile = 07895 952640

Website – www.machrihanishbirdobservatory.org.uk

Photo of the month...

Red-breasted Merganser (male) MSBO 28th March

The March Report includes records / photographs from MSBO and The Laggan (TL) along with some recent sightings / photographs from other parts of Kintyre by a few regular contributors including notable information from Jim Dickson (Argyll Recorder). Also, there was a favourable conclusion for a beleaguered Woodcock that was thought to have been brought indoors by a cat (photos / Brian Morton pers comm.) and an unfavourable conclusion for a Red-breasted Merganser that lost its fish catch to a very determined Great Black-backed Gull (photos / Eddie Maguire).Birdwatching in Argyll...To find out what birdwatchers are reporting daily (including photographs) visit Argyll Bird Club’s website at www.argyllbirdclub.org (Recent Reports 2018).

MSBO March Report 2018

List of selected species for March

Mute SwanCampbeltown Loch; a pair regular all month.

Whooper SwanKilkivan Farm TL; 3 adults on 19th. Bleachfield Farm TL ; 4 adults on 23rd - 25th and a single adult on 28th.

Greenland White-fronted GooseStrath Farm TL; 600+ on 8th.

Adult White-fronted Goose TL 8th March

Greylag GooseStrath Farm TL; 344 on 7th. 190 on 23rd.

Pink-footed Goose Strath Farm TL; one on 7th.All goose counts at TL this month are casual observations only. Many more birds than this report suggests are present/well-scattered in the area and are subject to regular counts by SNH (Lochgilphead).

Common ShelduckFlocks 16 on 5th. 30 on 13th. Increase to 34 on 19th.Strath Farm TL; 10 on 12th.


Eurasian WigeonStrath Farm TL; 85 on the south flood pool 7th.

American WigeonStrath Farm TL; a male was found / photographed in the company of Eurasian Wigeon at the south flood pool on 7th (Eddie Maguire). Not found on later dates.This is the 4rd Kintyre record.

American Wigeon (male / centre) Strath Farm TL 7th March

Northern ShovelerKilmichael Farm (by Campbeltown); a male and female on 9th (Jim Dickson pers. comm.).

Common EiderMax. counts 77 on 6th and 107 on 19th. The latter count is the highest spring count at MSBO for six years but still down by around 50%.

Northern GannetSingle adults crossed 8km overland from Campbeltown Loch to Machrihanish Bay on 12th and 21st.

*An MSBO paper by Eddie Maguire / Charlie Robertson relating to studies of overland passage of this species during 2017 entitled ‘Northern Gannets crossing overland in South Kintyre, Argyll’ was recently published in the Seabird Group


Newsletter (Number 137 / February 2018) and in Argyll Birds Club’s Newsletter The Eider (Number 123 / March 2018).

Great Northern DiverCounts; 9 on 5th, 14 on 11th and 24 on 18th including a group of 7 that were likely engaged in cooperative hunting behaviour (i.e. all diving at the same time and resurfacing together). Many were showing signs of attaining breeding plumage and their haunting, far-carrying, calls were heard more frequently from mid month.

Great Northern Diver in transition to breeding plumage 25th March

Little EgretOne near Tayinloan on 24th (Jim Dickson pers. comm.).

Golden EagleOn 7th, 3 birds were soaring over an area south of Loch Lussa but they were mainly silhouetted and plumage detail (therefore ages) could not be confirmed (Campbell Fox pers. comm.).There has been several sightings of Golden Eagles in this area in the recent past; could there possibly be a new home range somewhere around Lussa Loch?

Hen Harrier A male by MSBO on 5th.Westport Marsh; a male on 7th.East Chiscan TL; a female on 9th (Jim Dickson pers. comm.).Bleachfield TL; a female on 12th (photographed).Machrihanish Dunes Golf Course; a male on 12th (Gus McConnachie pers. comm.).


Loch Lussa; a male on 24th (Dee Brodie et al / pers. comm.).

Peregrine FalconCampbeltown; an adut was loafing on a spire of Lowland Church, Longrow on 13 th.

MerlinOne at Bleachfield TL on 11th.

Ruddy TurnstoneCampbeltown; 20 on 24th (Rab Morton pers. comm.).

Purple Sandpiper Regular small numbers; max count 9 on 19th.

Common Ringed PoverMales singing/displaying from 5th. Two males involved in a territorial dispute were photographed on 9th (see below). Ten >N with a few Dunlins on 15th.

Ringed Plovers (males clashing over territory) MSBO 9th March

Golden PloverKilmichael Farm floods (by Campbeltown); 208 on 9th (Jim Dickson pers. comm.).


LapwingKilmichael Farm floods (by Campbeltown); 25 on 9th (Jim Dickson pers. comm.). Strath Farm; two displaying on 12th. One there on 24th.

DunlinThree >N on 15th.

SanderlingFlock 7 >S on 19th. 6 >S on 20th.

Common GreenshankKennacraig; one on 9th and 24th (Jim Dickson pers. comm.).

Greenshank at Kennacraig 9th March / Photo Jim Dickson

Black-tailed GodwitKilmichael Farm floods (by Campbeltown); one, still in winter plumage, on 9 th (Jim Dickson pers. comm.).

Bar-tailed GodwitSound of Gigha; two on 24th (Jim Dickson pers. comm.).


Eurasian WoodcockDalsmerran, Glenbreackerie (Nr Southend); “on Sunday, March 18th the Morton family became aware that their Jack Russell was investigating something on an internal window sill outside the larder. It turned out to be a live Woodcock, a relatively common bird in the area (especially during winter 2017/2018).Brian managed to catch hold of it, assuming that it would have to be despatched humanely, but the bird seemed entirely unharmed. After about ten minutes, mostly spent examining the bird for puncture injuries or breaks, it was taken outside. The bird immediately flew off strongly to a wet area above the house where woodcock have occasionally been seen "roding" in low light.My family's assumption - in default of any other explanation - is that one of the cats brought the bird inside” (Brian Morton pers. comm.).Note - Many birds caught by cats often escape later, unscathed, if they ‘play dead’ at point of capture (Eddie Maguire).

Woodcock at Dalsmerran 18th March (Photo / Brian Morton)

Great SkuaOne >N on 24th - the first this year.

Black-legged KittiwakeA loose flock of 140 adults >S on 23rd.

Lesser Black-backed GullThe first two adults of the spring were by Drumlemble School on 7th. At MSBO a total of 61 >N / 4hrs after rain stopped late morning on 15th.


Kilkivan TL; 10 adults on 27th. Strath TL 28 adults and a 2CY on 31st.

Iceland GullCampbeltown Harbour; the adult found on 27 th January and seen on 10 dates during February was present on 5 dates 4th - 16th.

Sandwich TernCampbeltown Loch; 2 on 29th (Rab Morton pers. comm.).

RazorbillA total of 820 >S / 4hrs on 21st (drizzle / poor visibility). Many ‘trains’, up to 40 birds strong, were photographed and these revealed that the vast majority were in full breeding plumage (likely from RSPB Rathlin). 560 >S / 3hrs on 25th (NW f4).

White WagtailA male on 22nd. later there was one on 26th and 2 on 28th.This species was the first migrant to appear at MSBO this spring.

BackcapCarradale; a male at ‘Brynglas’ garden feeding station early month (Margo Kennedy pers. comm.)

Carrion CrowOne foraging on the shore on 5th.Strath Farm TL; one on 8th.Kildalloig Bay; 3 on 11th.

TwiteA colour ringed male was on territory/singing by MSBO from 15 th. This bird was ringed at MSBO on 14th October 2015 and was retrapped in both 2016 and 2017.

YellowhammerSouthend garden feeding station; one on 6th, 5 on 9th and 7 on 24th including 4 males (Roy / Susie Bennet pers. comm.).

A few more photos...


American Wigeon (male / centre foreground) Strath Farm flood TL 7th March

Shelduck (pair) MSBO 20th March


Three photos below show a Great Black-backed Gull about to mug a Red-breasted Merganser of its fish catch on 28th March


Woodcock at Dalsmerran 18th March (Photo / Brian Morton)


Meadow Pipit Strath TL 31st March

Ends

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