Machrihanish Seabird Observatory (MSBO)

May Records 2014

Compiled by Eddie Maguire (warden)

Assistant warden 2014 Iomhar McMillan

MSBO Photo of the month...

Common Cuckoo – came in off sea on 21st / allowed a close approach / obviously exhausted

Summary of the month...

Rarities:

Unexpectedly, a Scandinavian Rock Pipit (in summer plumage) was photographed: this is an outstanding candidate as the second Argyll record and it ‘appears to tick all the boxes’ (Jim Dickson – Argyll Bird Recorder pers. comm.).

Fly-by’s (photographed) included a White-billed Diver (a Scottish Birds Rarities Committee description species / probably the 2nd MSBO record), a Great Crested Grebe (a very scarce spring / autumn passage visitor) and an Osprey.

C. 5 Magpies have been seen in S Kintyre over the last few months and now a pair has been confidently confirmed as nesting in Campbeltown.

A Tree Sparrow (now a very rare county bird) appeared at Carradale (Argyll Bird Club website).

Selected Species List

Shelduck

As last month, a light offshore northerly passage was very obvious: max was 22 on 11th. The largest flock was 9.

Breeding: Three broods so far: first b/9 was seen on 19th (down to b/8 on 23rd), another b/9 appeared on 25th then a b/2 on 26th.

Comment - the first brood (b/9) appeared on 27th May last year.

Scaup

Three drakes photographed >S with Common Scoters on 4th.

Common Eider

Max Count: 46 on 10th.

Breeding: first b/1 appeared on 22nd then another b/1 on 23rd.

Common Scoter

Total of 62 >S on four dates with 40 on 28th (flocks 28 and 12).

Great Northern Diver

No notable pre-migratory moult flocks occurred offshore this spring. Max was only 17 on 11th. There was an obvious overnight exodus 23rd-24th. Later, single(s) were present on 26th and 28th.

White-billed Diver

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White-billed Diver >N off MSBO

Note that the birds very pale bill seems to almost disappear against the greyish-blue sky

A Great Northern Diver in this plumage would show a con-colourless black head / bill

One in summer plumage was photographed >N on 17th (Eddie Maguire / Steve Holloway).

Comment - the second MSBO / Kintyre record (a first-summer was photographed on 5th March 2013).

Note - this claim is subject to acceptance by Scottish Birds Rarities Committee (see photo above).

Great Crested Grebe

One in breeding plumage was photographed >S on 3rd.

Northern Gannet

An adult was watched circling several hundred metres over Campbeltown at 18:20hrs on 26th: this bird was soaring (no wing beats). Less than half a minute later, and employing continuous rapid wing beats, it made a beeline west (Eddie Maguire / Iomhar McMillan).

Comment: additional strong realistic evidence that adults cross the low-lying belt of Kintyre (The Laggan) to reach the Atlantic coast between Machrihanish / Westport.

Osprey

A record photograph was taken of one >N on 26th.

The first MSBO record this year.

Corncrake

Two, probably migrants, were calling at Southend on 3rd. The birds were heard at Brunerican Farm (adjacent to the golf course) and near Teapot Lane by the village (Dave Bassat).

Dave reported that these birds were not heard later.

Purple Sandpiper

Six on 8th: last 2 birds were seen on 11th.

Sanderling

Twelve on 6th. Flock 36 >S on 13th. Flock c. 60 >S on 14th. C. 25 >N on 15th.

Fifty were off passage on 20th. Flock 12 >S on 21st. Total of c. 100 off passage on 22nd. Flock 55 present 26th-30th.

Dunlin

Six >N on 8th. Ten >S on 9th. Forty >N on 10th.

Whimbrel

Seen daily to 20th. A total of 107 >N on 2nd (flocks 60 and 47). Total 58 >N on 8th (including flock 40). Flock 18 >N on 10th. Later, there was two on 22nd then singles on 25th and 29th-31st.

Whimbrel

Ruddy Turnstone

Max was flock 26 on 18th.

Ruddy Turnstone

Arctic Skua

A dark phase >N on 3rd and a pale phase >S on 17th.

Sandwich Tern

Seen daily: max was only 12 on 18th.

A poor spring showing.

Arctic Tern

Max at colony was only 8 on 29th.

Common Tern

Scarce: first of the year was 2 on 3rd. Max at colony only 2 on 29th.

Razorbill / Common Guillemot

Frequent observation / photographic samples of fly-by singles and small flocks of these large auks off MSBO revealed that Guillemots (206) were more a bit more frequent than Razorbill (161). In addition, the photos revealed that 6 / 206 Guillemots (3%) were bridled morphs (see image below).

Common Guillemot (bridled morph)

Comment - David Jardine (2007) revealed that incidence of bridled birds at breeding colonies in Argyll ranged between 4-12% (Birds of Argyll).

Swift

Four over Burnside Square, Campbeltown on 7th (Iomhar McMillan).

A pre-dusk gathering of 15 birds over the square on 16th (Davie Robertson).

Comment – this is a typical arrival date but see earlier record in last month’s report.

Common Cuckoo

One came in off the sea on 21st and rested on the shore (see MSBO photo of the month). This bird allowed the warden to approach down to 3m / appeared to freeze!

Two birds were offshore >N on 22nd and one >N along the shore on 23rd.

Comment - an unusual series of occurrences for here.

Scandinavian Rock Pipit

One in summer plumage on 18th (photographed).

Comment - this individual bodes well as being accepted by ABC Records Committee as only the second confirmed County record.

Scandinavian Rock Pipit

White Wagtail

Seen daily to 22nd. The highest day total was 30 on 7th.

Late birds – singles on 26th and 30th.

Northern Wheatear

Greenland-type males were on the point briefly on 8th and 18th.

Magpie

One at Limecraigs, Campbeltown on 1st - 2nd (Davie Robertson et al) and 2 there on 4th (Norman Stewart). Both birds were seen nearby on 7th at Highland Parish Church robbing a Blackbird nest (Bob Middleton pers. com.).

One at Killeonan (1mile S of Stewarton) on 1st (Donnie McLean / George McSporran et al).

Breeding: the Campbeltown birds were noted regularly visiting a nest high in a Sitka Spruce in a built up area to the SW of town. Observer is sure that they are feeding youngsters (Gordon Allan pers. comm.).

Two Hooded Crows attempted to rob the nest on 20th: both Magpies successfully defended it (Gordon Allan pers. comm.).

Comment - Both Limecraigs and Highland Parish Church are within 3-4 hundred metres of the above probable breeding site.

Further observation should prove this to be the first Kintyre breeding record. Also, it appears to be the first Argyll breeding record outwith the core area around Dunoon (Paul Daw pers. comm.).

Belated report – two at Limecraigs, Campbeltown on 28th April (Eddie Kerr pers. comm.).

Including the probable breeding pair, a minimum of 5 birds have been sighted on the peninsula so far this year.

Common Raven

Breeding: a tree nest at Anderson Park, by Campbeltown had at least three large youngsters on 15th.

Comment - nest only 200m from town limit.

Tree Sparrow

One Carradale on 1st (Steve Redwood).

Comment - former breeding species in S Kintyre that is now a very rare bird in Argyll.

Cetaceans

Bottle-nosed Dolphin

This cetacean appeared on three consecutive days mid month. A reliable estimate of numbers was around 15 including at least 2 calves.

Bottle-nosed Dolphins (adult female and calf)

Minke Whale

One (c. 6m length / weighing 2.5 tons) was found snagged on a rope (apparently it drowned) on 20th in the Kilbrannan Sound off E Kintyre.

Comment: this whale was on display to the public at Campbeltown New Quay for several hours prior to being transported by road, apparently to Aberdeen.

· All photographs by Eddie Maguire