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Stop Press: A single, very early, Common Swift was seen between Lochgilphead and Cairnbaan, Mid-Argyll on the afternoon of 1st May (Sue Chattwood). There were three April records in the 1990s but this is the earliest arrival since then.
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Wildfowl (and gamebirds) |
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Wildfowl (and Gamebirds)
18th April. The Black Swan was still at Loch a' Phuill, Tiree with ten Whooper Swans and two Gadwalls (John Bowler).
19th April. Six Barnacle Geese were seen along the coast of Tiree, east of Balephetrish (John Bowler).
21st April. One male and two female Goosanders were in the bay at Crinan Ferry at lunch-time (Kevin Frances). A late pair of Common Goldeneyes was still on Loch Melldalloch, Cowal (Tom Callan).
22nd April. Four pairs of Red-breasted Mergansers were seen along the shores of Loch Fyne, in the Otter Ferry area (Tom Callan).
23rd April. Thirteen Whooper Swans, a Black Swan, a drake Garganey, two Pintails and two Common Goldeneyes were at Loch a' Phuill Tiree (John Bowler). A Green-winged Teal was seen at Gruinart floods, Islay (James How).
25th April. A Snow Goose was seen near the shore at Craobh Haven Mid-Argyll (Jim Dickson).
26th April. At least eight Gadwalls were at two sites on Tiree and 21 Pale-bellied Brent Geese were at Balephetrish Bay (John Bowler).
27th April. A male Common Scoter was at Loch Beg, Mull and the drake Gadwall was still at Bunessan (Bryan Rains). One or more Black Grouse were lekking at a site near Tullochgorm, Minard this morning (Paul Daw).
28th April. A flock of 76 Pale-bellied Brent Geese (including two colour-ringed birds) were at Sorobaidh Bay, Tiree first thing (John Bowler). A pair of Black Grouse was seen mating at a site near Strachur, Cowal (Tom Callan). A Red Grouse was seen at Loch Scammadale, near Oban, Mid-Argyll (George Newall).
29th April. A male and a female Black Grouse were seen at a lekking site near Connel, Mid-Argyll early this morning (Bob Grove).
30th April. A female Mallard was seen with a brood of nine small young near Otter Ferry (Tom Callan).
Seabirds, Divers, Grebes, Shearwaters, Herons etc. (and other seawatch species)
9th April. A total of 26 Great Northern Divers and two Slavonian Grebes were seen on Loch na Keal, Mull (Bryan Rains).
15th April. A total of 18 Great Northern Divers were seen on Loch Scridain, Mull (Bryan Rains).
21st April. A Red-throated Diver and two Great Cormorants were in the bay at Crinan Ferry at lunch-time (Kevin Frances). Two Slavonian Grebes were resplendent in the sun this morning at West Coast Salmon, Kintyre, but no divers were present (Katie Pendreigh). A pair of Little Grebes was on Loch Melldalloch, Cowal (Tom Callan).
25th April. A total of 48 Manx Shearwaters were seen off the east coast of Colonsay (Jim Dickson).
27th April, A pair of Red-throated Divers in breeding plumage were on a loch near Tullochgorm, Minard this morning (Paul Daw).
28th April. A sea watch at south-west Islay mid-morning found 18 Red-throated Divers flying north and a passage of 115 Manx Shearwaters going southward (John S. Armitage). Six Red-throated Divers were on Loch Scridain, Mull and three Great Northern Divers were on Loch Beg (Bryan Rains).
Raptors, Rails etc
4th April, Four Hen Harriers (a male and three females) were seen at Ardchrishnish, near Bunessan, Mull (Bryan Rains).
14th April. A Peregrine Falcon flew over Connel, Mid-Argyll (Mike Harrison).
19th April. Three Water Rails were recorded at Balephuil, Tiree (John Bowler).
21st April. At least two pairs of Great Skuas were setting up territories on Coll. A first-year male Hen Harrier has been around near Kilbride for a few days where the established pair are already holding territory (Simon Wellock).
22nd April. A Red Kite around the Loch Gruinart area of Islay had been present for almost a week (John Armitage). An adult male Golden Eagle was seen over the Roadside Lochs on Coll being mobbed by Great Black-backed Gulls (Simon Wellock).
23rd April. At least four calling Corn Crakes and two-three Water Rails were at Balephuil, Tiree (John Bowler).
25th April. An Osprey seen at Balephuil, Tiree, being mobbed by a Hooded Crow, was only second record for the island (John Bowler). One seen at Breachacha, Coll the following day (26th) was possibly the same bird (Simon Wellock).
27th April. A male Hen Harrier was seen flying over conifers at Barnacarry, near Kilmore, Oban (Bob Grove).
28th April. On Coll, a Red Kite was reported over Tomain nan Eun (Simon Wellock) and a Common Coot reported at Gallanach Pond was apparently the first record for the island since 1955 (Rob Wainwright).
30th April. A Red Kite, with jesses, has been reported on Jura. Could this be the same bird as the one at Loch Gruinart on 22nd April (John S. Armitage)?
Waders
8th April. A Common Sandpiper was seen near Kilchurn Castle, Loch Awe (Alan Gray).
21st April. Two Common Sandpipers were seen along the River Cur at the head of Loch Eck (Peter Woods). A Greenshank, a Whimbrel and two Common Sandpipers were seen with small numbers of Common Redshanks and Curlews, from the hide at the Add Estuary this afternoon (Kevin Frances).
23rd April. A total of 51 Black-tailed Godwits were at Gruinart floods, Islay (James How). Waders at Loch a' Phuill included 232 Ringed Plovers, 16 Black-tailed Godwits, three Whimbrels, and 45 Common Redshanks. Ten Whimbrels and c.5,500 European Golden Plovers were at The Reef as were the first Lapwing chicks of the spring (John Bowler). Two Ringed Plovers, two Dunlins and 20 Common Redshanks were at Uisken, Mull and 80 European Golden Plovers were at Fidden (Bryan Rains).
24th April. Three Greenshanks were seen at Loch Tulla, North Argyll (Bob Grove).
25th April. A big influx of waders into Tiree included some 1,200 Ringed Plovers noted at four sites, including two Icelandic colour-ringed birds, and a Greenshank at Balephetrish Bay, around 850 Sanderlings at three beaches including a flock of 685 at Gott Bay; where there were also 245 Dunlin and a Whimbrel (John Bowler).
28th April. Eight Whimbrels were at Crossapol Point, Tiree and 95 Turnstones, a Red Knot and 15 Purple Sandpipers were at Balephetrish Bay (John Bowler).
Skuas, Gulls, Terns and Auks
19th April. A first-winter Iceland Gull was in Tarbert Harbour, Kintyre (see also 24th April below) and a first-winter Glaucous Gull was at the southern corner of Asknish Bay, Traigh nam Musgan, near Craobh Haven, Mid-Argyll (Bill Allan/Anne-Lise Dickie).
20th April. A first-winter Glaucous Gull was off Glengorm, Mull (John Bowler).
22nd April. Three pairs of Black Guillemots were off Pier House, Otter Ferry (Tom Callan).
23rd April. Two Puffins were seen off Otter Ferry spit (Tom Callan).
24th April. A first-winter Iceland Gull was in Tarbert Harbour, Kintyre. From its quite distinctive plumage (from photos), Steve is sure this is the same individual that he saw in the harbour on 14th March and also the same bird that was photographed by Jim Dickson in January (Eider 84, page 12). The following were seen from the Portavadie/Tarbert Ferry – three Kittiwakes (including one immature), one Fulmar (quite uncommon here), 25+ Razorbills/Common Guillemots, 12 Northern Gannets and eight Manx Shearwaters (Steve Petty).
25th April. A Great Skua was seen off the east coast of Colonsay (Jim Dickson).
28th April. A sea watch at south-west Islay mid-morning found an Arctic Skua and a Great Skua flying north, and single Arctic and Little Terns (John S. Armitage).
Doves, Owls, Woodpeckers etc.
23rd April. A Wryneck was reported at Sorisdale, Coll this lunchtime (Simon Wellock).
24th April. A male Short-eared Owl was giving the wing clapping display to a female at Carsaig, Mull (Bryan Rains).
28th April. Common Cuckoos were heard calling at four different sites in the Otter Ferry/Millhouse area of Cowal (Tom Callan).
30th April. A pair of Stock Doves re-appeared in a garden at Tayness, Kilmartin, Mid-Argyll this evening. They were after seeds dropping from a bird feeder on an apple tree, just like last year. (Brian John).
Passerines
14th April. A group of 12 Fieldfares were seen at Glenbranter, Cowal. Also, two Dippers were seen along the River Cur at the head of Loch Eck (Peter Woods).
16th April. A Magpie was seen in a garden at Achanadriane, near West Coast Salmon, Kintyre and another (or the same) was reported from Muasdale in the previous week (per Katie Pendreigh).
19th April. A Bullfinch newly arrived at Carnan Mor and another reported from Mannal were only the second and third ever spring records for Tiree. At least ten White Wagtails were along the coast east of Balephetrish (John Bowler). At least 20 Meadow Pipits were seen near Millhouse, Cowal (Tom Callan).
21st April. A late group of seven Fieldfares were seen in the garden at Glenbranter, Cowal, and a rookery at Strachur had 11 active nests (Peter Woods).
22nd April. Nine Willow Warblers were singing around Balvicar, Seil, Mid-Argyll and fourteen Twite were feeding on the golf course (Richard Wesley).
23rd April. The first Barn Swallow was seen swooping around the house at Tullochgorm, Minard at 15.40hrs (Paul Daw). Two Goldcrests and at least two ‘Greenland’ Wheatears were reported at Sorisdale, Coll this lunchtime (Simon Wellock).
24th April. Approximately ten Common Crossbills were feeding on pine seeds in the Caledonian Forest remnant at Loch Tulla, North Argyll (Bob Grove).
27th April. At least four Common Crossbills, including one male, were seen at Barnacarry, near Kilmore, Oban (Bob Grove). A flock of nine Common Crossbills was seen near Tullochgorm, Minard this morning (Paul Daw). Three White Wagtails were at Uisken, Mull and two Twite were at Fidden (Bryan Rains).
28th April. There were 35 apparently active burrows at the main Sand Martin colony at Millhouse, Cowal with ten further burrows at a smaller colony nearby (Tom Callan).
30th April. Totals of 49 Willow Warblers, four Common Crossbills and two Bullfinches were among species recorded near Kilfinan, Cowal during a Timed Tetrad Visit for the breeding Atlas this morning (Tom Callan). About seven Yellowhammers were present in a garden at Tayness, Kilmartin, Mid-Argyll (Brian John). A late influx of Barn Swallows was noted on Colonsay, including 28 at Loch Cholla (Jim Dickson).
Other
18th April. A Peacock Butterfly was seen at Lusragan Burn, Connel (Mike Harrison).
19th April. Small Tortoiseshell butterflies are apparently becoming scarce now in England but about six or seven were at Rhunahaorine Point, Kintyre (Bill Allan).
22nd April A male Orange-tip Butterfly was seen at Taynuilt, Mid-Argyll (John Bowler).
27th April. A Green-veined White butterfly was seen at Balephuil, Tiree (John Bowler).
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