Update (number 69) on 2nd April 2008 (sightings for late March 2008)

Wildfowl (and Gamebirds)

4th March. Four Eurasian Wigeon, 12 Eurasian Teal and a pair of Common Goldeneyes were at Loch Beg, Mull (Bryan Rains).

6th March. An early group of seven Whooper Swans was on Loch Gilp (no darvic rings) (Simon Lawrence).

10th March. A single Whooper Swan was at Loch Beg, Mull early in the morning, resting in strong easterly winds. Later it flew off to the east (Bryan Rains).

11th March. A drake Gadwall was at Bunessan, Mull and six Eurasian Wigeon were at Loch Beg. The Gadwall was seen at Bunessan on several dates until the end of the month (Bryan Rains).

16th March. Four Greenland White-fronted Geese and a single Pink-footed Goose were at Gruline, Mull and four Whooper Swans were on the three lochs in Glen More (Bryan Rains).

17th March. Eight Eurasian Teal, three Mallards and six Common Goldeneyes were on Loch Melldalloch, Cowal (Tom Callan).

18th March. A flock of 49 Whooper Swans flew north over Lochgilphead at 19.40hrs towards the Crinan Estuary (Christine Lawrence) where they were seen later by Louise Wood. Totals of 11 Greenland White-fronted Geese, 38 Common Shelducks, eight Eurasian Wigeon, 33 Eurasian Teal, four Mallards and 20 Common Goldeneyes were seen in the Ulva Lagoons/Ceann an t-Sailein area of Loch Sween (Tom Callan/David Warden).

22nd March. A flock of 18 Whooper Swans dropped into a field at Kenovay, Tiree for a few hours before moving on (John Bowler).

23rd March. The first-winter female Surf Scoter was again at Hough Bay, Tiree with 15 Long-tailed Ducks (John Bowler).

24th March. A shore-based survey of seaducks, divers and grebes along the east coast of Kintyre (Skipness–Campbeltown Loch) found seven Common Shelducks, 94 Common Eiders, three Common Goldeneyes and 17 Red-breasted Mergansers, and a mixed flock of 15 Whooper Swans and 22 Greylag Geese were feeding together in a field near Westport car park north of Campbeltown in the afternoon (Paul Daw).

24th March. A flock of 58 Whooper Swans were at Loch a' Phuill, Tiree (John Bowler).

25th March. A Red-legged Partridge was seen running across the main road in Tighnabruaich, Cowal (Linda Petty per Steve Petty).

26th March. A lekking male Black Grouse was with a female at a site near Strachur, Cowal this morning (Tom Callan).

27th March. Many Whooper Swans were on the move on Tiree. Odd small groups were flying over all day, plus 42 which came in off the sea from the south at 12.30hrs and landed at Loch an Eilein for a few hours before moving on. These included the neck-collared bird 2J53 which last seen on Tiree in October 2001! (John Bowler). Things were just as busy on the mainland. A group of 17 Whooper Swans were grounded in heavy rain at Loch Gilp; seven were ringed birds but just too distant to read (Jim Dickson). A flock of 50 was flying north, offshore, up the coast just north of Westport Beach Machrihanish, Kintyre at 18.30hrs and a group of ten were on fields at the Laggan (Simon Lawrence). Thirty-three Whooper Swans were seen flying north over Kames, Cowal at 07.38hrs (Steve Petty). Later in the day (c.11.00hrs) another v-formation of 70-80 was reported flying north from the same location (Joan Johnston per Steve Petty). Two male Reeve's Pheasants were seen at Otter Ferry (Tom Callan).

28th March. Again, large numbers of Whoopers Swans were moving through. A total of 208 around West Tiree included a flock of 74 that dropped in on Loch Bhasapol plus 16 that flew north from Loch a' Phuill (John Bowler)

29th March. A flock of 18 Whooper Swans were heading north over Lochgilphead meadows at 07.15hrs, probably the same flock as on 28th, + 1 bird (Jim Dickson), and nine dropped in at Loch Beg, Mull at 18.45hrs to roost overnight. They flew off west at 10.00hrs the following morning (Bryan Rains). A group of 23 Canada Geese were grazing in a grass field at Blarghour Farm, Loch Awe (NM994138, Karl Pipes), and 53 Greylag Geese were on the flood plain near Dunamuck (Moine Mhor), Mid-Argyll (Malcolm Chattwood).

31st March. A single Pale-bellied Brent Goose was with 1,600 Barnacle Geese at Balephetrish, Tiree (John Bowler).

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Seabirds, Divers, Grebes, Shearwaters, Herons etc. (and other seawatch species)

4th March. A Black-throated Diver and 24 Great Northern Divers were seen on Loch Scridain, Mull (Bryan Rains)

15th March. A Black-throated Diver and 24 Great Northern Divers were seen on Loch Scridain, Mull (Bryan Rains).

16th March. Numbers of Great Northern Divers reached 31 on Loch Scridain, Mull (Bryan Rains).

17th March. Three Red-throated Divers, two in breeding plumage and one in winter plumage, were off Otter Ferry (Tom Callan).

18th March. A Black-throated Diver in winter plumage and five Great Northern Divers in winter plumage were at the mouth of Loch na Cille, Loch Sween (Tom Callan/David Warden).

19th March. Two Red-throated Divers and four Great Northern Divers were seen on Loch Scridain, Mull (Bryan Rains).

23rd March. A Black-throated Diver was seen on Loch Avich Mid-Argyll (John McAvoy).

24th March. A shore-based survey of seaducks, divers and grebes along the east coast of Kintyre (Skipness–Campbeltown Loch) today found a Red-throated Diver, a Black-throated Diver and three Great Northern Divers in the Skipness/Claonaig area and four Red-throated Divers together in Campbeltown Loch. Three of the latter were still completely in winter plumage while one was in full breeding plumage (Paul Daw).Two Red-throated Divers were seen near the mouth of Loch na Cille, Loch Sween (Malcolm Chattwood).

25th March. A total of at least 34 Great Cormorants were visible at the breeding colony on Glas Eilean, Loch Fyne, Mid-Argyll (Tom Callan).

28th March. Two Great Northern Divers have been seen regularly just outside Oban by a charter boat (Mara Mhor) operator on his short tour to the seal rock just behind Kerrera (Ron Stevenson - website).

30th March. A total of 33 Great Northern Divers were counted on Loch Scridain, Mull (Bryan Rains). Note that the high numbers for Great Northern Divers at Loch Scridain are all evening counts where birds gather to roost on the open water. A Red-throated Diver in breeding plumage and a Black-throated Diver in winter plumage were off Otter Ferry, two Black-throated Divers in winter plumage were out towards the middle of Loch Fyne and three Great Northern Divers in a variety of intermediate plumages were off Glas Eilean, Loch Fyne (Tom Callan).

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Raptors, Rails etc

11th March. Two Hen Harriers were at Bunessan, Mull (Bryan Rains).

17th March. A Common Kestrel was sitting on a nest stack (possibly belonging to a nearby pair of Common Ravens) at a cliff quarry on the mainland side of Clachan sound where water course under the Atlantic Bridge joins the Sound (Karl Pipes).

21st March. An immature White-tailed Eagle was seen flying from Craobh Haven Mid-Argyll towards Luing via Arduaine Point and Degnish (John McAvoy).

22nd March. A Moorhen ran across the road at Bellanoch, Mid-Argyll (Anne-Lise & Eric Dickie).

23rd March. A male Hen Harrier was seen in Glen Nant, Mid-Argyll (NN013277, Steve Hunt) and three Hen Harriers (a male and two females) were at Ardchrishnish, near Bunessan, Mull (Bryan Rains).

29th March. One male Common Kestrel on Kames Golf course (Cowal) was still present on 30th March (Steve Petty).

30th March. A Peregrine Falcon was flying above a forestry track, heading SSW near Blarghour, Loch Awe (NM998125, Karl Pipes).

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Waders

4th March. A flock of 30 Northern Lapwings was at Loch Beg, Mull (Bryan Rains).

11th March. Flocks of 60 Northern Lapwings and 60 European Golden Plovers were at Fidden, Mull and a Greenshank was at Loch Beg (Bryan Rains).

20th March. A Woodcock was in the garden at Balephuil, Tiree (John Bowler).

24th March. A high-tide roost at ‘Stinky Hole’, Campbeltown Loch held 196 Oystercatcher and 40 Eurasian Curlews at lunch-time (Paul Daw).

25th March. A Woodcock was roding over Cairnbaan, Mid-Argyll (Jim Dickson).

30th March. Nine Common Redshanks, 22 Eurasian Curlews and c.40 Turnstones were on the spit at Otter Ferry (Tom Callan).

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Skuas, Gulls, Terns and Auks

23rd March. The adult Ring-billed Gull was at the George Street foreshore at lunchtime (Stuart Gibson). It was present again on 26th March.

28th March. Two interesting gulls were at Cornaig, Tiree this afternoon. One was a small very dark-backed Lesser Black-back with very long wings - reminiscent of Baltic Gull and the other was a large white-headed strong black-billed first-winter Herring Gull type - a putative Yellow-legged Gull (John Bowler).

29th March. The putative first-winter Yellow-legged Gull was back at Cornaig briefly early in the morning, but not since and an adult Iceland Gull was at Cornaig with 160 Black-headed Gulls at Cornaig/Bhasapol (John Bowler).

30th March. Two first-winter Glaucous Gulls and a first-winter Iceland Gull were at the southern corner of Asknish Bay, Traigh nam Musgan, near Craobh Haven, Mid-Argyll (Bill Allan/Anne-Lise Dickie), and a first-winter Glaucous Gull was at Loch Bhasapol, Tiree (John Bowler).

31st March. A first-winter Glaucous Gull was at Cornaig, Tiree, but there was no sign of the Yelow-legged Gull (John Bowler).

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Doves, Owls, Woodpeckers etc.

4th March. A total of 12 Collared Doves were at Pennyghael, Mull - the highest count there to date (Bryan Rains).

17th March. A total of 15 Wood Pigeons flew by during period of 10mins near The ‘Bridge over the Atlantic’ Seil Island, Mid-Argyll (Karl Pipes).

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Passerines

11th March. Four Reed Buntings and six Sky Larks were at Fidden, Mull (Bryan Rains).

17th March. Two Bullfinches were at Beach, Mull (Bryan Rains), and c.30 Meadow Pipits were at Auchgoyle Cottage, near Millhouse, Cowal (Tom Callan).

21st March. A male and a female Common Crossbill were at Meall Mhor, near Tarbert, Mid-Argyll (Malcolm Chattwood).

23rd March. Garden bird watch records at West Loch Tarbert, Kintyre in the past week included a Great Spotted Woodpecker and two Eurasian Treecreepers (Barbara McMillan). A flock of at least 100 Redwings was seen over Loch Tralaig, near Oban (John McAvoy). Two Lesser Redpolls flying over a usual breeding colony site at Kames Golf Course, Cowal were the first to be seen this year (Steve Petty).

24th March. A Song Thrush with a distinctive russet cap at Balephuil Tiree could have been of the race hebridensis (John Bowler).

25th March. There were reports of single male Northern Wheatears from Happy Valley, Hynish and Baugh, Tiree (per John Bowler). Nine Common Crossbills were at Loch Beg, Mull (Bryan Rains) and two Eurasian Jays were seen in Glen Euchar, near Oban (Anne-Lise & Eric Dickie).

26th March. A hen Blackbird has been nest-building in ivy in a garden at Campbell Crescent, Oban (Stuart Gibson). Two Goldcrests arrived on cue this morning in the Balephuil, Tiree garden after the winds turned to the south-east overnight (John Bowler). A flock of 45 Meadow Pipits and two very bright male and a female Reed Buntings were at Clachan of Glendaruel, Cowal (Tom Callan).

27th March. Three White Wagtails were at Traigh nan Gilean, Tiree amongst c.20 Pied Wagtails and c.30 Meadow Pipits. A single Goldcrest was at Balephuil and four Greenfinches at Heylipol Church (John Bowler). Eight Song Thrushes (some very dark) and four Blackbirds were at Strone Farm, near Otter Ferry, Cowal and at least two Common Crossbills were heard calling as they flew over (Tom Callan).

29th March. Two White Wagtails were with two Pied Wagtails at Barr Beith Point, Loch Awe (NN005153, Karl Pipes) and a Eurasian Jay was at Loch Coille Bharr, near Bellanoch, Mid-Argyll (Malcolm Chattwood).

31st March. A very spring-like day produced a small flurry of migrants. The first Northern Wheatears appeared on the mainland. Two were seen flying away at Craignish Point (couldn’t discern gender) (Malcolm Chattwood) and a pair was at Loch Scammadale, Mid-Argyll. The first returning Sand Martins (a group of 12) were feeding over a man-made loch off the River Feochan at Glen Feochan House, near Oban (Bill Allan/Anne-Lise Dickie) and the first Chiffchaff was heard singing in a garden in Dunoon this afternoon (George Newall). On Tiree, two Goldcrests were at Balephuil including a male in full song (rare here, John Bowler). Six Twite and a Reed Bunting were at Fidden, Mull and four Yellowhammers were at Bunessan (Bryan Rains).

1st April. A group of 20 or more Barn Swallows was swooping low over the water in heavy rain near Kilchurn Castle, Loch Awe (Allan Grey).

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Other

17th March. Two Otters, an adult and a juvenile were disturbed from bushes at foot of cliff near The ‘Bridge over the Atlantic’ Seil Island, Mid-Argyll (Karl Pipes).

27th March. A long-dead 5m Cuvier's Beaked Whale was at Traigh nan Gilean, Tiree, which was apparently the ninth Scottish stranding of this species in the last two months (John Bowler).