Machrihanish Seabird Observatory (MSBO)May Report 2017

Compiled by Eddie Maguire (warden)

Photo of the Month

Bird of the month: Little Egret - a breeding plumaged adult 22nd May

Argyll Bird Club Rookery Census 2017 – The Kintyre Data Argyll Bird Club rookery census data for N Kintyre has been received (David Jardine pers. comm.). All known rookeries (4) were active and a new one was located resulting in 5 rookeries with a total of 200 nests. The number of active rookeries located in Kintyre during spring 2017 now stands at 31 and these contained a total of 1,671 nests.

Northern Gannets crossing KintyreFrom March this year, surveillance was resumed at Campbeltown Loch (Clyde waters) and MSBO (Atlantic) to determine the numbers of Northern Gannets crossing 8km overland as the season’s progress. With the breeding season now well underway at the Ailsa Craig colony, overland transit by adults flying west to gain access to foraging grounds off the west coast of Kintyre increased significantly from a meagre 25 birds during March – April to an impressive total of 131 birds on 22 days this month with peaks of 18 on 12th and 21 (record day total) passing west on 16th.

Migrants at MSBO during May

There was an excellent showing of some regular migrants with peaks of 42 Whimbrels on 2nd, 120 Sanderlings and 36 White Wagtails on 13th and 66 Sandwich Terns on 14th. A 2CY Iceland Gull was present most days 16th – 31st and an adult Little Egret that came in off the sea from the direction of Islay / Jura on 22 nd

and pitched down right outside MSBO was certainly bird of the month.A Yellow Wagtail (race uncertain / possibly Grey or Blue-headed) was claimed by an experienced birder on 16th. Also, it was interesting to have photographic records of an early Storm Petrel on 16th and late records of Common Goldeneye on 21st

along with Red Knot and Black-tailed Godwit on 27th.

Another Goldfinch controlled at MSBOBob Furness (Argyll Bird Cub) ringed a Goldfinch at Cnoc, Loch Lomond (Argyll and Bute) on 17th April 2017 and this individual was controlled at MSBO on 1st May - a movement of 109km SW in 14 days! No notification yet re details of French ringed Goldfinch controlled at MSBO last month.

List of Selected Species

Common ShelduckAt least 6 pairs in the area and females were noted hanging around rabbit burrows and a rock pile by MSBO on 9th and 14th.Five broods totalling 26 ducklings have appeared so far; the first was b/9 on 22nd

followed by b/3 on 25th, b/5 on 27th, b/6 on 28th and another b/3 on 30th. Mean brood size = 5.2 (In May 2016 there was 5 broods / 33 ducklings – mean brood size = 6.6).

‘Shelducklings’ 26th May

Common EiderBroods = the first was b/5 on 18th then a b/3 on 27th.

Common GoldeneyeA late female appeared briefly / photographed on 21st.

Common Goldeneye 21st May

Common ScoterFlock 7 passed >S on 11th.

Red-breasted MerganserGlenbarr; 17 were off Killegruar camp site on 6th and five flocks totalling a significant 70+ were off there on 11th (Pip Ashley pers. comm.).

Red-throated DiverThree (2 adults and an immature) passed >S on 18th. An adult passed >N on 23rd.

Great Northern DiverThe haunting call of this species was heard often early in the month. Counts included 7 on 5th and 23 on 11th, but scarce later with only one summer-plumaged adult on 17th.

Northern GannetOverland crossings (8km) of adults from Campbeltown Loch (Clyde) > west to Machrihanish Bay (Atlantic) during May.Table 1. Date / number of adults crossing / wind direction and observers.

Number of Wind direction /

May Adults strength Observers

2nd 4 NE 3 - 4 CR/EM/RM/IM/DR/DG3rd 6 NE 3 - 4 CR/EM6th 2 NE 3 - 4 CR/EM8th 5 NE 2 - 3 CR/EM9th 1 SW 2 EM10th 9 Variable 1 CR/EM/RM11th 8 NE 3 CR/EM12th 18 NE 2 - 3 CR/EM13th 6 SW 2 - 4 CR/EM14th 2 SW 2 - 3 CR/EM16th 21 SW 2 - 3 CR/EM17th 7 S 3 CR/EM18th 1 W 2 - 3 CR/EM19th 6 Variable 1 CR/EM20th 1 SW - 2 CR/EM21st 6 S - 5 CR/EM26th 4 Variable 1 - 3 CR/EM27th 4 Variable 1 - 2 CR/EM28th 1 NW 2 CR/EM29th 1 ENE 2 - 3 CR/EM30th 14 WNW 4 CR/EM31st 2 E 3 CR/EM

22 days 131 birds

2017. From March to May a total of 156 adult Northern Gannets crossed overland on 52 / 86 days of surveillance. Gannets cross west over Kintyre at varying heights. Charlie Robertson, eloquent as ever, recently described one that was so high over Campbeltown that it was...‘Likely conversing with angels’. Another other classic description re high fliers is...‘Virtually in the gods’. However, his latest, and certainly principal quote concerned two birds that left together for the west on 31st May – ‘They were on-route for the sea of tranquillity.’ Charlie and MSBO wardens have noted that they also fly west, low over the town, often just over roof top height, to take advantage of this now well-defined 8km shortcut to the Atlantic.

Adult Northern Gannet 25th May

European Storm-PetrelAn exceptionally early bird was photographed passing >S on 16 th; most unexpected in view of the weather conditions - a light SW wind with strong sunshine.Not normally recorded off MSBO until mid-late June.

Record photo of Storm Petrel passing >S 16th May

Little Egret

An adult in breeding plumage in off the sea on 22nd came from the direction of Islay / Jura and pitched down briefly right in front of MSBO. It appears likely that this is the individual that was at Loch Gruinart, Islay on the evening of 21st May (Jim Dickson pers. com.).

Adult Little Egret 22nd May

White-tailed EagleOne (age uncertain) was high over Davaar Island, Campbeltown Loch passing >S on 17th (Rab Morton et al).

Ringed PloverThe first brood hatched on 15th and a nest with eggs was located on 19th. Tundra type Ringed Plovers; six were off-passage with migrant Sanderlings, Dunlins and Ruddy Turnstones on 17th (Eddie Maguire / Bob Relph), 42 were with 76 Sanderlings on 19th and 16 were with 30 Sanderlings on 20th (Eddie Maguire / Rab Morton). In The Birds of Scotland (2007) Forrester et al describe the smaller, slightly darker-looking northern subspecies (tundrae) as “a scarce mainly passage migrant seen in late May and early June”.

Tundra type Ringed Plovers 19th May

Purple SandpiperScarce with only 2 on 5th and 7th and one 10th – 11th.

Ruddy TurnstoneTen on 1st, one on 6th - 7th, 4 on 8th - 9th, one 10th - 12th, 4 on 13th, one on 16th, 10 on 17th, 4 on 20th, 22 on 21st, 9 on 23rd, 2 on 24th, 27 on 25th, none 26th – 28th, 5 on 29th.

Ruddy Turnstone 8th May

Sanderling

Flock 70 arrived on 9th and rested on the shore for most of the day. Forty in the area on 10th, 120 on 13th, 15 on 14th, 26 on 15th, 20 on 16th, 40 on 17th, 76 on 19th, 30 on 20th, 50 on 21st, 34 on 22nd, 10 on 23rd,16 on 24th, 30 on 25th, 55 on 26th - 27th, 100+ on 28th, 11 on 29th and 77 on 30th.

A Sanderling in transition to breeding plumage 27th May

Dunlin Flock 14 on 1st were the first seen here this year. Four on 6th, 20 on 7th, 6 on 8th, 12 on 9th, 60 on 0th, 40 on 11th, 12 on 12th with at least two birds singing. Flock 65 on 13th, 10 on 14th, 8 on 16th, 18 on 17th, 12 on 21st, 40 on 22nd, 5 on 23rd, 18 on 24th, 10 on 26th, 3 on 27th, 15 on 28th, 2 on 29th, 32 on 30th and one on 31st.

Red KnotThe first birds seen at MSBO this year was 3, still in winter plumage, on 13 th. Nine passed >N on 19th. A bird in non-breeding plumage was present all day on 27th.

Red Knot 27th May

WhimbrelNine on 1st, 42 on 2nd, 2 on 5th, one on 6th, 5 on 9th, one on 10th, 8 on 11th, 14 on 12th, one on 13th, 2 on 14th – 15th, one on 16th, 3 on 19th - 20th, one on 21st, none 22nd – 24th, one 25th - 28th.

Whimbrel 2nd May

Black-tailed Godwit

The only record was single late bird on 27th.

Black-tailed Godwit 27th May

2CY Iceland Gull MSBO 22nd May

Iceland Gull

Campbeltown Harbour: the wintering 2CY was last seen on 5 th (Charlie Robertson / Davie Martin pers. comm.). Another 2CY was in the Machrihanish area from 16 th – 31st and was photographed at MSBO on 19th and 22nd (Eddie Maguire / Bob Relph). Sandwich TernA loose flock of 38 were resting on the shore on 2nd then 7 on 4th, 2 on 5th, 7 on 6th, 5 on 7th, one on 8th, 10 on 9th, 6 on 10th, 15 on 11th - 12th and 11 on 13th. A notable passage occurred during the afternoon of 14 th when a total of 66 passed >N / 2hrs during / after light showers. 8 on 16 th, 3 on 17th, 7 on 18th, 12 on 19th, 5 on 20th, 22 on 21st, 12 on 22nd, 8 on 23rd – 24th, 5 on 26th, 11 on 27th, 17 on 29th, 8 on 30th

and 5 on 31st.

Common TernA late arrival this year with first 2 by the pontoons at Campbeltown harbour on 9 th

(Rab Morton pers comm.).

Arctic TernA late arrival this year with first bird on 8 th. Two on 10th, 10 on 16th, 14 on 20th. At least 12 birds ashore at Big Scone Island colony 23rd – 31st.

Common SwiftCampbeltown; 7 on 8th, 6 on 16th, 4 on 17th, 5 on 18th, 14 on 19th, 6 on 24th.and 2 on 27th.

Yellow WagtailOne, a male (race uncertain but possibly Grey or Blue-headed), flew close past an experienced observer only a few hundred metres east of MSBO on 16 th (Bob Relph pers comm.). This is an extremely rare visitor.

White WagtailEight on 1st, 15 on 2nd, one on 3rd, 3 on 4th, one on 6th, 6 on 9th, 10 on 11th, 7 on 12th, 36 on 13th, 10 on 14th, 2 on 16th, one on 17th, none 18th – 25th, one on 26th – 27th. Lesser Whitethroat A rare visitor.Rhunahaorine Point; one on 6th (Neil Hammat / Jim Dickson pers. comm.).

TwiteThree were trapped / colour ringed on 1st. One was present on 8th. Unringed pair present 23rd – 30th are likely breeding locally.

More Photos from MSBO during May...

Oystercatcher 21st May

Common Sandpiper 4th May

Whimbrel 2nd May

Adult Little Egret 22nd May

Ends