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Machrihanish Bird ObservatoryFounded September 1993 (26th Year)

March Report 2020 Compiled by: Eddie Maguire

The Observatory is CLOSED until further notice!

Report also contains records from contributors + 39 Photographs

Stay Safe – Stay Home (Warden cocooned)

For updates / Enquiries...Contact the Observatory

Mobile - 07895 952640 E-mail – [email protected]

Website – machrihanishbirdobservatory.org.uk

mailto:[email protected]

MSBO March Report 2020

Photo of the Month By professional photographer / MSBO Committee Member....

Merlin – Machrihanish Airbase 14th March / Photo / David Millward

Comment – “Stonker DM!” (Warden)


Selected Species List

WHOOPER SWANLaggan; 14 by Drumlemble School 2nd - 26th.

Whoopers – flying into Machrihanish Airbase to forage / 26th MarchPhoto / Jo Goudie

EURASIAN WIGEONLaggan; 138 at Strath flood on 2nd.

RED-THROATED DIVERSingles in full breeding plumage >S on 8th and 10th.

GREAT NORTHERN DIVERMachrihanish Bay – MSBO; 8 on 4th.

NORTHERN GANNETMSBO Overland Project; the first adult spotted flying 8km overland from Campbeltown (Clyde Waters) to Machrihanish Bay (Atlantic) this year was seen heading west over Longrow (above the Coop!) at 12:41hrs on 23 rd (Project Coordinator / Charlie Robertson).


During March to October 2017 – 2019, a total of 4,744 adult Northern Gannets crossed 5 miles (8km) west over Kintyre (S Argyll) from Campbeltown Loch to Machrihanish Bay.

Red-throated Diver >S off MSBO 10th March

Great Northern Diver – off MSBO 4th March


WHITE-TAILED EAGLEMachrihanish Airbase; one flew west towards Machrihanish village on 19 th (David Millward / Jo Goudie pers. comm.).

White-tailed Eagle – Airbase / record shot / 19th March Photo / Jo Goudie

MARSH HARRIERA female/juv male type was seen near Darlochan from the Moss Rd around 08:30hrs on 11th and a fine male was photographed there on 13 th (per Jim Dickson / County Recorder).

HEN HARRIERMSBO; a male was nearby on 2nd (Elizabeth McTaggart pers. comm.).Southend; a ringtail was foraging in a Junctus field opposite the church on 2nd (Brian Morton / family pers. comm.). Machrihanish Airbase; a ringtail flew over on 6 th (David Millward / Jo Goudie pers. comm.)Nr Southend; a ringtail was foraging over Junctus by the edge of a conifer plantation at Culinlongart (Glen Breackarie) on 6th (James Harris pers. comm.).Nr Southend; a male was “zigzagging low over Juncus” at North Carrine (Glen Breackarie) on 27th (Brian Morton / family pers. comm.).

COMMON KESTRELCampbeltown; one over Cnoc Scalbert on 26th.


Hen Harrier – over roost site by Stewarton 17:25hrs / 2nd March

MERLINMachrihanish Airbase; one on 6th, 12th, 14th (photographed), 23rd and 26th (David Millward / Jo Goudie pers. comm.).Laggan; one at Bleachfield 15th.

PERGRINE FALCONMachrihanish Airbase; pair displaying on 29th (David Millward / Jo Goudie pers. comm.).

NORTHERN LAPWINGLaggan; one at Strath on 2nd.

GOLDEN PLOVERMachrihanish Airbase; 50+ on 23rd (David Millward / Jo Goudie pers. comm.).

EURASIAN WOODCOCK Southend / Glen Breackerie; some on road at night, but numbers nothing like last year at Dalsmerran (Brian Morton / family pers. comm.).

SANDERLING Two flocks totalling 28 >S on 12th.

PURPLE SANDPIPER


Regular small numbers; max 11 on 12th.

LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL Numbers on passage increased from 2nd with 14 >S / 2hrs in a NW f3 - 4 and a further 18 were scattered around the Laggan.

BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKETotal of 770 >S / 4hrs on 12th.

Black-legged Kittiwakes - off MSBO 12th March

ICELAND GULLCampbeltown; a 2cy was on flood at the edge of town (A83) on 8 th.

GLAUCOUS GULL East Darlochan; a 2cy was photographed from the A83 at junction with road to Machrihanish Airport on 2nd (Jim Dickson pers comm.).MSBO; a pristine adult >S just a few metres from Obs window on 12 th; although bird flying very slowly - head to gale - it was too close (ca. 4m) for camera lens.

BARN OWLSouthend Rd; regular sightings near Homeston Farm, never before seen there, working the cleared ditches. At least two individuals, also a solitary bird half way over to Dalsmerran (Glen Breackarie). Lots of voles on the road at night on 2nd

(Brian Morton / family pers. comm.).


COMMON GUILLEMOTTotal of 170 >S / 4hrs on 12th.

Common Guillemot – off MSBO 12th March

RAZORBILLTotal of 430 >S / 4hrs on 12th.

Razorbill - off MSBO 12th March


EURASIAN SKYLARKMachrihanish Airbase; 200+ >SSE then NE on 2nd (David Millward / Jo Goudie pers. comm.) and 90 >N over Strath on 2nd.

Eurasian Skylark – Machrihanish Airbase 5th March

SAND MARTINBy Campbeltown; 4 at Calliburn on 26th (per Jim Dickson)

ROCK PIPITAn individual showing several characteristic plumage features of the Scandinavian race (littoralis) appeared at MSBO on 13th. This is the time of year when they start to attain breeding plumage. In the photo below, note...

Reduced streaking on lower breast/belly Peachy tones on the throat/underparts, and Grey nape and upperwing.

This is a rare visitor but true status is still unclear (Jim Dickson pers. comm.). There are five accepted records of this sub-species for Argyll including three at MSBO. Hopefully will be considered a contender as the 6th record for Argyll and 4th

MSBO occurrence by Argyll Bird Club Records Committee?


Rock Pipit – putative Scandinavian race / 13th March

MSBO archive; Scandinavian Rock Pipit (race littoralis) / April 2017

The 3rd MSBO record


EUROPEAN STONECHATMachrihanish Airbase; pair present 24th – 31st (David Millward / Jo Goudie pers. comm.).

European Stonechat – female Machrihanish Airbase 29th March

Photo / David Millward

European Stonechat – Male Machrihanish Airbase 29th MarchPhoto / David Millward


NORTHERN WHEATEARMachrihanish Airbase; 3 on 23rd then 8 there on 26th and only 2 on 29th (David Millward / Jo Goudie pers. comm.).The first reported sighting in Argyll this year was 3 birds at Totronald, Coll on 22nd

(Jim Dickson pers. comm.).

Northern Wheatear – Machrihanish Airbase 29th March Photo / David Millward

EURASIAN MAGPIEGlenbarr; one was seen flying through the glen on 25th (Jim Dickson pers. comm.). NW Kintyre; one was by Lonlia (in a house garden) on the B8001 Skipness road about 3km from the A83 on 29th (per Jim Dickson) - possibly the Glenbarr bird moving north?Carradale; 2 were photographed at Port Righ on 29 th (Alasdair Paterson / per Jim Dickson).The only record of a Magpie in Argyll this year outwith the core breeding area around Dunoon was one in Lochgilphead since the start of the year (until early March) and possibly the same bird again just 3 miles to the N at Kilmichael Glassary on 22nd March (Jim Dickson pers. comm.).

Magpies in Kintyre: The Irish theory from MSBO... At Copeland Bird Observatory (Co Down) Magpies have been recorded repeatedly flying east, sometimes in flocks, over the N Channel to Galloway during spring (especially in March /April), a distance of 14 miles (Daw 2014).N Ireland has the closest / largest population of Magpies to south Kintyre.In view of the above reference by Daw (2014) the extraordinarily abrupt appearance of 3, (possibly 4) Magpies in Kintyre over a short 5 day period 25 th – 29th March


renders their arrival more than a bit suspicious taking into consideration that there were no other reported arrivals anywhere else in Argyll. Such a conspicuous sudden arrival in Kintyre at this time of year by such striking corvids led MSBO warden to a long held patent believe that surely these birds must be spring arrivals from Co Antrim. In addition, no Magpies were reported in Kintyre prior to this arrival. Torr Head (north-east coast of Co Antrim) to the Mull of Kintyre, a distance of only 12 miles, would obviously be a relatively easy flight accomplishment for Magpies setting off east on a flight path for the Mull of Kintyre. This is the shortest route to Scotland from anywhere in N Ireland.In addition, there is anecdotal evidence that in some years (especially April) Magpies move north through Kintyre (Warden / personal observations over 46 years.).Hopefully an exceptional April (the peak month) with additional birds showing up in the south of the peninsula.

References... Daw, P., 2014. Magpie in Argyll. Argyll Bird Report Vol 26: 128-138.www.magpiesinargyll

Eurasian Magpies – Carradale 29th MarchPhoto / Alasdair Paterson

WESTERN JACKDAWDrumlemble; flock 260 by Kilkivan Quarry on 10th.

http://www.magpies/


CHIFFCHAFFMachrihanish Airbase; one singing on 24th (David Millward / Jo Goudie pers. comm.).

EUROPEAN GOLDFINCHMachrihanish Airbase; 100 at feeders on 2nd (David Millward / Jo Goudie pers. comm.).

LESSER REDPOLLMachrihanish Airbase; a male at feeders on 7th (David Millward / Jo Goudie pers. comm.)

COMMON LINNETMachrihanish Airbase; 10+ on 28th (David Millward / Jo Goudie pers. comm.)

Common Linnet - Machrihanish Airbase / 28th MarchPhoto / David Millward

REED BUNTINGLaggan; 5 at Bleachfield on 2nd.


Belated records...

EURASIAN SKYLARKMachrihanish Airbase; 400+ on 28th February (David Millward / Jo Goudie pers. com.) and 4 -500 at High Ranachan on 29th (Jim Dickson pers. comm.).

EURASIAN GOLDFINCHMachrihanish Airbase; 100 at feeders most days February (David Millward / Jo Goudie pers. comm.)

Reed Bunting – male Bleachfield / 2nd March

Additional photos (21) taken during MarchAlso includes an interesting / welcome range of species from contributors


Hen Harrier – Stewarton roost site / 17:25hrs / 2nd March

Eurasian Skylark – Machrihanish Airbase / 5th March


Red-throated Diver - off MSBO / 10th March

Pale Greylag Goose – by Drumlemble School / 8th March There is another pale Greylag in Mid-Argyll (Jim Dickson pers. comm.).


European Shag – MSBO / 9th March

Black-legged Kittiwake - MSBO / 12th March


Great Cormorant – MSBO / 5th March

Hen Harrier – over Stewarton roost site 17:25hrs / 2nd March

The following Photos of Common Redshank / Brown Hares / Greylag Goose / European Shags / and Eurasian Skylark by...

MSBO Assistant Warden / David Millward


Common Redshank - 31st March

Brown Hares - Machrihanish Airbase 23rd March


23rd March

23rd March


MSBO archive - by Drumlemble School March 2015Somewhat Kangaroo-like!

Pale Greylag Goose - by Drumlemble School 14th March


Eurasian Skylark – Machrihanish Airbase / 19th March European Shags – Tangy Road-end / south of Bellochantuy / 20th March Small breeding colony on large(ish) rock stack v close to A83

20th March


20th March

20th March


Common Scoter - Sound of Gigha / off West Coast Salmon / 23rd MarchPhoto / David Jardine

David Jardine has kindly forwarded his Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) data for March from his survey sites in NW Kintyre + a few additional records. 5th MarchRhunahaorine WeBS (inland, between shore and main road)... Curlew 45 Greylag 45 GWF Goose 307 Common Gull 140 Herring Gull 110 Skylark 46 Mistle Thrush 4Starling 60 5th MarchSound of Gigha WeBS... Shag 49 Cormorant 3Long-tailed Duck 3 Great Northern Diver 64 Red-throated Diver 4 Slavonian Grebe 35 GWFG Geese 8 Red-breasted Merganser 48 Common Scoter 224


Eider 250 Mute Swan 2 Shelduck 1Kittiwake 1 Mallard 3 Black Guillemot 4 Dunlin 1 Oystercatcher 33 Curlew 14 Turnstone 25 Ringed Plover 34 Pied Wagtail 24 Reed Bunting 2Rock Pipit (only!) 3 Herring Gull 190

5th MarchAdditional records from NW Kintyre...Kennacraig; one Greenshank, 5 Shelduck and 15 Red-breasted Merganser.

5th MarchRonachan Point; 7 Slavonian Grebe and 2 Black Guillemot.23rd MarchKennacraig – 2 Little Egret.

Slavonian Grebes - in various stages of attaining breeding plumage Sound of Gigha / off West Coast Salmon / 23rd March

Photo / David Jardine


Little Egrets - Kennacraig / 23rd MarchPhoto / David Jardine

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