Another wet month.
In comparison to January, February had a similar mean temperature and a similar high rainfall but in comparison to last February, this February had a similar mean temperature, but the rainfall doubled.
Highlights included little egret. Continuing from December and January records, in February there were 24 records.
Nineteen of these records were of a single bird, four were of two birds together and one of three birds together.
It will be interesting to see how long little egret stay on the island this year. In 2022, there were records from the start of the year to May 22 and from August 13 to December 31.
In 2023, there were records from the start of the year to May 18 and from August 20 to December 31.
When little egret eventually do stay to breed, I anticipate the heronries around the island could prove to be attractive.
Wintering visitors included: eight purple sandpiper on Silver Sands on 11th; six fieldfare in Glen Sannox on 12th; two rook in Kilpatrick on 19th; one yellowhammer in Sliddery on 27th; 20 redwing in Whiting Bay on 29th plus several reports of blackcap dominating bird feeders in gardens around Arran.
Wintering wildfowl continued to be present including: 50 wigeon on Cleats Shore on 5th; 128 pink-footed geese in Clachaig on 8th; two goldeneye on Mossend pond, also on 8th; one long-tailed duck off Pirnmill on 11th; one common scoter off Fairy Dell on 15th; 200 greylag geese in Shiskine on 18th; one whooper swan, also in Shiskine, on 18th; six white-fronted geese in Feorline on 19th and 38 teal in South Carlo on 25th.
Other wintering flocks included: 23 chaffinch in Brodick Castle gardens on 2nd; seven grey heron in Whiting Bay on 7th; 27 turnstone in Auchenhew Bay on 10th; 200 common gull in Kilpatrick on 17th; 150 jackdaw in Kilpatrick on 19th; 40 lapwing in Shiskine on 21st; 13 skylark at Torrylinnwater Foot on 24th; 30 woodpigeon in Pirnmill on 26th and 12 dunlin in Loch Ranza on 29th.
Other interesting sightings included: one moorhen in Mossend pond on 10th; four black-throated diver at Clauchlands on 11th; three great northern diver in Kildonan, also on 11th; four black guillemot at Brodick ferry terminal on 12th; two little grebe in Mossend pond on 19th; six bullfinch in Brodick Castle gardens on 24th; two red-throated diver in Pirnmill on 26th and a juvenile merlin in Kildonan on 27th. It had been killed in a window strike.
A future Bird Notes will look at glass, the invisible killer.
In addition, there were two reports of red kite on the afternoon of February 26; one at Auchencar, then later in the afternoon one in Catacol. This could have been the same bird.
In February there were several reports of white-tailed eagle, including two that moved between Blackwaterfoot and Sliddery on 6th; a juvenile that disturbed the geese in the Shiskine Valley on 9th and one that was photographed over Shannochie on 12th.
In February, there were two reports of returning gannet, both reports in Brodick Bay. But there were no reports of returning lesser black-backed gull.
There were, however, some other signs of approaching spring including: great spotted woodpecker drumming in Lagg on 16th; song thrush singing in Corrie on 18th; shelduck establishing territories on shores round the island including four in Silver Sands on 22nd; 17 shag all with their wispy breeding plumage crest at Imachar, also on 22nd, and numerous reports of garden birds checking out nest boxes.
Finally, there were good close views from the Fisherman’s Walk of an early returning osprey in Brodick Bay on 29th.
Siskin reports in February were increasing and are expected to build up in March as the birds move north. Check out siskin groups for the similar-sized lesser redpoll: one or two have already been reported.
March could also see the arrival of some of our summer visitors like wheatear, chiffchaff, willow warbler, sand martin, even swallow and house martin, but their arrival will be dependent on the weather. Keep an eye out for these migrants and let me know when you first see them.
Enjoy your birding.
Please send any bird notes with “what, when, where” to me at Kilpatrick Kennels, Kilpatrick, Blackwaterfoot, KA27 8EY, or email me at jim@arranbirding.co.uk. I look forward to hearing from you.
For more information on birding on Arran, "The Arran Bird Report 2023” should be for sale in outlets around Arran in time for Easter. Look out for it. Last year it was sold out. Plus also visit www.arranbirding.co.uk/index.html
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