Bird Report for December 2025

Who of us cannot marvel at what are perhaps the most attractive of the wild geese to visit Britain in significant numbers, the Barnacle. Appearing almost monochromatic in cold tones of black, grey and white, their crisp markings are immaculate to the human eye - well, mine at least. On the morning of the 21st, when I scanned the vista across from my house, I was delighted to see a party of 27 of these dapper birds grazing in a grassland that I have come to refer to as the Twite Field. They remained all day and for most of the following day, sometimes joined by the more familiar Brents but never really intermingling with them. I saw Pale-bellied Brent Geese daily from my house and recorded flocks of in excess of 300 birds on eleven occasions across the month, the peak count being 388 on the 4th and 5th. Despite the high numbers of these birds present I noticed that very few were juveniles, suggesting yet another poor breeding season for this species.

Wherever there are found agriculturally improved grasslands in combination with open freshwater then naturalised Canada Geese are likely to occur, in varying numbers. On my local patch these conditions are met with at Loch Connell, and to which flocks of ’honkers’ are no strangers. On the 28th of the month when the loch itself was half frozen over by blue-ice, 248 Canadas sought refuge on the shallow expanse, along with a similar number (233) of Greylags and 20 ‘Pinkies’ (Pink-footed Geese). From my house - which is east of this loch - I heard Whooper Swans calling on several days but only managed to catch sight of two birds on a visit to the said waterbody on the 21st. My daughter reported to me  seeing a single Shelduck at Bishop Burn, on the 5th; one was at the Wig on the 23rd, three there on the 26th and one at the Scar on the 31st.

A singleton Shoveler at Loch Connell on the 21st was my only record of this species all month. The same site held an impressive 560 Teal on the 7th and 39 were observed on the sea to the north of the beach at Kirkcolm, on the 12th. From the freshwater site of ‘Connell came a good count of 130 Wigeon, also on the 7th, whereas at the Wig my peak count of this species was 177, on the 12th. It was at Loch Ryan that my highest tally of 149 Common Scoters was logged on the 23rd, whilst for Eiders the peak was 292 on the 3rd, with, curiously, just one bird less a little later in the month on the 25th. I saw very few Goldeneyes about the Wig, with a high of 24 on the 15th, whilst at Loch Connell nine birds was the most I recorded, on the 21st. The Wig held a most excellent 19 Long-tailed Ducks (three of which were female) on the 23rd. A drake Pochard was at Loch Connell on the 7th and 21st, whilst on the 28th (when there much ice present) the same site hosted both a male and a female. At the same site, on the 7th, there was also an immature male Scaup and 28 Tufted Ducks, while the following week (14th) numbers of the latter species had risen to 34. Goosanders here peaked at 12 birds on the 28th whereas for their cousins, Red-breasted Mergansers, the highest number I recorded at Loch Ryan was 55, on the 1st.

A singleton Black-throated Diver was present on the sea-loch on the 6th. In comparison I am pleased to report that observations of Great Northern Divers were considerably more frequent, being logged on 12 days spanning the month, with a peak of 5 birds on the 6th. My highest count of Red-throated Divers here was 43 birds on the 23rd, just a few short of the peak count of 50 Slavonian Grebes on the same day.

I grew up with Curlews, so to speak, and have had a special fondness for them ever since. (At that time I lived in Leicestershire, where Curlew were rare breeders but I was lucky to have them on my doorstep). I consider myself fortunate that on most days whenever I look put from my present home across to the Wig I can see these distinctive waders. Admittedly, they are fewer in number compared to a few years past, but see them I still do. And that continues to bring warmth to my heart. This December - because of rain and wind … wind and rain .. then more of the same - the numbers of Curlew entered into my logbook have been relatively few. But on the 28th that tally boomed when I registered a princely 105 birds on the Wig fields - still lower than my historical records for the area show but a welcoming total, nonetheless. Alas, just four Dunlin at the Scar on the 25th was disappointing by comparison; I found consolation in approximately 160 Golden Plovers at the Scar on the 4th and the 31st, and three Grey Plovers there on the 1st.

Day seven of the month and Loch Connell crops up once again, this time in respect of an unusually high count of 58 Lapwings that I saw rise from the marshy ground on the eastern side of the site. Also unusual was the four I noticed at the Wig on the 31st. In excess of 163 Oystercatchers were counted in the Wig fields (on the 18th), which, although not an exceptional high number of birds is certainly more than is typical. The shore of the Wig itself, beside the car park, held 17 Redshanks at high tide on the 24th.

A classic ‘biscuit- coloured’, first-winter, Glaucous Gull made a brief appearance on the Scar during the early morning of the 24th. Alas, I never saw it again and I know of no other person that did, either. 14 Kittiwakes passed the same spit of land on the murky day of the 10th. A pair of Little Auks did the very same thing on the 3rd, heading in the direction of Stranraer. Instantly recognisable by their direct flight on rapidly whirring wings and, of course, their diminutive size, they were utterly unexpected visitors but that in itself, I find, is one of nature’s tantalising attractions.

After mentioning the Cormorants at Loch Connell in the November issue of this blog, I did not expect to be following that up this month with 16 birds there on the 7th. There were no flamboyant bouts of fishing this time around: all of them stood upright on the bank, with wings pressed firmly against their sides, half-dozing in the morning light. Funnily enough, 132 Shags were doing much the same on the pier at Cairnryan, on the 3rd. What I think to be an exciting discovery was seeing a Little Egret roosting in a tree close to a local heronry, on the 23rd. This species often nests among other herons and although a tad early (or late, depending how you look at it), I shall be keeping a watchful eye on things in the weeks and months ahead.

It has been a few years now since Hen Harriers used breed a few short miles (as the crow flies) from my house; consequently, sightings of this species on my patch have become fewer with the passage of time, occurring now as only rare visitors. I saw a rather stunning-looking adult male float low over the Wig fields on the 29th. His passage went unmarked, disturbing neither other small nor large birds into flight on his unwavering journey west towards Connell, then out of sight. The memory of those all too brief moments remain as strong in my mind now, as I write, as when the event itself transpired. Isn’t nature wonderful!

A male Blackcap visited my garden on the 18th, 20th, 21st and 22nd. Where he went after, I know not. A total of 72 Fieldfares was recorded on the 21st, with just two the next day - overall a disappointing turnout but perhaps not unexpected. A Kingfisher was a delightful surprise find at the pool where the Corsewall Burn outlets into Loch Ryan, on the 3rd. But no sooner had I espied it and it was gone, disappearing somewhere upstream.

Both the presence and the numbers of Meadow Pipits fluctuate widely on my local patch, suffice to say that they are not as common here as other folk might suppose. A party of 15 birds on the Wig fields was thus notable on the 3rd, I thought. Also noteworthy on the very same fields was a flock of 86 Skylarks, on the 12th. Treecreepers are undoubtedly more common than my few records ever suggest because visually they are rarely obvious and their thin high calls, which might otherwise betray their presence, are lost to mine ears these days. One bird, however, was in my garden on the 29th - not spiralling up the trunk of a tree (which I don’t have), as is usual behaviour, but, of all things, seen working its way along a concrete seat! A single Tree Sparrow was again in my garden, on the 16th and 17th.

I close this month’s report with that age old duo and confusion species’, Twite and Linnet. Each of them when seen well, or heard calling, present few identification problem to persons familiar their respective characteristics. However, when viewed from afar and, especially when occurring in mixed flocks, either together or with other species eg Chaffinch and Goldfinch, then difficulties arise for the birdwatcher; such situations can also make counting them with any accuracy a considerable challenge. On the 3rd of the month that very scenario presented itself when a mixed flock of small birds, perhaps 600 strong, hugged the cattle trampled fields at the Wig. Using any suitable device to capture a series of digital images can aid greatly in the assessment of both the numbers of birds involved and the species present, so providing either confirmation, or a guide, to solving the matter in hand. The particular flock in question seemed to comprise some 300 Twite and about 250 Linnets, with Chaffinches, Goldfinches and a few Meadow Pipits making up the rest. Isn’t this fun, what ho!

This article was provided courtesy of the author, S. Grover

The Gift of Birds! Report for November 2025

In spite of the poor weather that persisted for much of the month, there were a surprising number of bird species entered into the logbook, many of which I thought warranted a mention here.

I assume that the Barnacle Goose I saw associating with a grazing flock of 388 Canada Geese at Loch Connell on the 10th was the same bird reported on last month. My appreciation of the birds could not have been realised without the aid of my old, faithful, and trusty ‘scope - a real God send, for sure. 

If I had to pick just one species that was both representative of where I live, and the present season, then I believe I would not be wrong by choosing the Pale-bellied Brent Goose. It is one of the smaller members of its family, about the size of a Mallard, and when seen on its own it often necessitates a second glance in order to confirm its identity. But, fortunately, its social habits make it a flock forming species, when its identity readily becomes apparent, especially when its low, guttural conversation of rolling-grunts and growls are also heard. I saw birds daily about the Wig, either loafing on the water at high tide or feeding along the shore when the water receded. On the 11th, I noted 54 birds coming to graze on the grassland (and to bathe in floods areas) beside the Wig track - the first birds of the season to do so. In excess of 300 geese of this race were regularly observed loafing on the Scar, with a high of 402 on the 8th.

I had relatively few sightings of Pink-footed Goose: most were of birds flighting from their roost at Castle Kennedy, then heading north-west over Loch Ryan on route to feeding areas to the north of the village of Kirkcolm. Ninety-three was the largest skein I logged, although I should mention that countless others depart the same roost and head south to feed in the fields about West Freugh. A party of 36 Mute Swans was at the Wig on the 2nd, and that in itself is an uncommon occurrence, whilst the largest flock I noticed comprised 72 birds at Bishop Burn, on the 4th. Thereafter, I saw few Mutes, with the majority of birds - I strongly suspect - having dispersed elsewhere away from the wind-swept expanse of open seawater. There were just four entries for Whooper Swan in my logbook during the month. These included three adults on the shallow freshwater of Loch Connell on the 30th, when a party of 19 others also flew over but did not linger.

Gadwall are scarce visitors to Loch Ryan so to find a trio of males at the Wig on the 8th was gratifying indeed. Similarly scarce on my local patch are Shoveler, with two males at Loch Connell on the 2nd and four observed flying south past the Scar on the same day. A reasonable count of a minimum of 156 Teal at the aforementioned site was made on the 2nd when there was also a singleton at the Scar; my daughter noted 22 in a flooded woodland (Shell Plantation) beside the beach at Kirkcolm, on the 20th. In excess of 700 Wigeon were at Low Balyett, Loch Ryan, on the 2nd, whilst at the Wig I logged 204 birds on the 12th.

My largest count of Common Scoters on the sea-loch was 91 on the 9th, while for Eider the peak was a respectable 257 on the 21st. Goldeneye are common enough wintering ducks on Loch Ryan but are less so at Loch Connell, where they are sporadic visitors. I always think that to my eyes they somehow look better at this body of freshwater; I suspect, that in the males especially, it is their contrasting plumage set against a surround of usually dark-looking water that lend this impression: on the sea the greater expanse of water reflects considerably more light from the sky, generally rendering it light in tone and frequently greyish and muted. This apparent difference is an artistic preference on my part, I guess; the five Goldeneye that graced Loch Connell on the 16th and 30th certainly appealed to that subjective bias of mine.

The ill-weather seemed to keep at bay any Long-tailed Duck present on Loch Ryan, although more likely it was the weather that curtailed my usual viewing; however, my hopes were restored on the 21st when I entered 13 birds of this species into the logbook. Back on Loch Connell, I saw two Pochard on the 22nd, along with two Scaup. An immature of the latter mentioned species was also at this site on my previous visits on the 2nd, the 10th and the 16th. It is Loch Ryan, however, that is the stronghold for this species, and on the 18th a rare opportunity presented itself and from the comfort of my home I was able to count a raft of over 280 birds at Innermessan. I never used to think of myself as - literally - an armchair naturalist but as age creeps forever up on me I now recognise that it has at least one merit to be enjoyed! There is never a certainty to making double figure counts of Tufted Duck at Loch Connell; it is as haphazard as the weather is changeable; thus, 21 there on the 30th is worthy of mention. The same site has in recent years become my first port of call when looking for wintering Goosander. And like the earlier mentioned Goldeneye (and for much the same reason) adult drakes of the present species always seem to appear particularly handsome, a feature no doubt enhanced by their elegant form. Indeed, it would be hard for me to imagine a better place upon which to view such stunning creatures … providing of course that the weather and the light were favourable .. but perhaps I am allowing my artistic sensibility excessive freedom to reign unchecked. The four males and the three ‘redheads’ I saw on the 20th were certainly a delight to behold. Their sea-going counterpart, Red-breasted Merganser, were seen pretty much daily on Loch Ryan, generally in small numbers - which in all probability was more a consequence of the weather hindering general visibility rather than a paucity of birds;  however, on the 8th, I did log a raft of 72 at the Wig, which on reflection, made up for the few sawbills that I had seen across the month.

An unusual record for the time of year was that of a Great Crested Grebe at Loch Connell on the 16th. This species was, however, one of the regulars in Wig Bay, along with another staple, Slavonian Grebe. Thirty of the latter was a very reasonable addition to the log on the 12th. The sea-loch is also favoured by Red-necked Grebe, of which I made three observations during the month:  two on the 8th and 12th and a singleton on the 20th. Black-throated Divers are always a treat on Loch Ryan, even if they do not always present the most obliging views of themselves - usually just as specks in the distance that show enough details to allow an identification: two birds were present on the 21st. Great Northern Diver is commoner on the loch than its aforementioned compatriot but, perhaps because in general it is a slightly bigger and bulkier looking bird, it might just be easier to see. Singletons were logged on the 3rd, 17th, 22nd and the 25th, two on the 21st and four on the 12th. My peak count for Red-throated Diver was 71 on the 9th.

Regarding waders, the month kicked off with a flock of 420 Golden Plover at the Scar, with perhaps the same birds there a few days later, on the 7th. Thereafter, sighting of this species were intermittent and the number of birds involved was considerably lower. A Greenshank was on the same spit of land on the 12th and was my only record of this species during the month. The beach northwards from the Scar to the outlet of the Corsewall Burn, is often the best place to look for Grey Plover. Counts of this species are never high, as evidenced by a singleton on the 16th and 22nd, and two birds on the 21st, when there was also a lone Knot. Four Lapwing on the Wig fields, also on the 21st, was unusual; a single bird was present at Loch Connell the following day (22nd). A party of 12 Redshank at the Wig on the 20th was a most pleasing sight on account of the dun colours of their plumage (and the equally dun tones of the accompanying day rendering the view almost monochromatic) being countered by the bright orange legs of the birds. Ringed Plover are thankfully still common enough birds of the shore. However, due to change in land-use of some of the fields bordering the Wig trackway the concrete hard-standing in the fields are rarely used by small waders anymore; it was thus encouraging and a delight to observe 62 birds occupying these remnant structures left over from ‘wartime Kirkcolm,’ on the 23rd. On the 21st an excellent count of 71 Turnstone was logged at the Scar.

Common Gulls are very much in evidence on my local patch at this time of year. To assess the population I typically wait until the birds come together before roosting. The Scar is often a good place to watch when this activity develops and on the 24th I successfully counted the arrival of over 450 birds. The same approach can be used for gauging the number of Herring Gulls, such as on the 29th when I logged in excess of 700 birds. It was during one of these pre-roost checks that on the 22nd I noticed an immature Iceland Gull amongst the mass of gathering birds. Six Kittiwake flew past the Scar on the 12th and an adult of this species was at the Wig on the 19th. My only record of Lesser Black-backed Gull was an adult flying over Loch Connell on the 16th. Likewise, I saw just a single Mediterranean Gull all month - a winter-plumaged adult feeding in a grassland  beside the Wig on the 15th. I had a late record of a Sandwich Tern flying about Wig Bay on the 9th.

Perhaps not surprisingly, given the season and the oceanic nature of the species, I had few observations of auks. Singleton Guillemot were noted close inshore on the 12th, 16th and 19th. Two Razorbill were logged on the 10th, four on the 12th and 20th and an additional two on the 21st. A particularly interesting record concerns an unprecedented 25 Cormorants on the freshwater site of Loch Connell on the 30th. They were occupied fishing for what appeared to be sea trout, which had entered the loch via a small burn. Quite how so many birds learned of the feast is a mystery; presumably an earlier diner alerted its comrades back at the Scar when it went there to digest its own heavy-weight breakfast! While Cormorants will readily use both fresh and salt water environments Shag are strictly marine (although occasional birds may be swept to inland waters during storm conditions). 182 birds at Wig Bay (extending across Loch Ryan to the pier at Cairnryan) was a typical tally for the time of year, on the 12th.

A singleton Kestrel seen on the 22nd was my only record of this species during the month and in itself is an indication of the birds uncommonness within the local area. Merlin are always scarce birds - visitors only - and are never predictable in their occurrence, which of course adds greatly to the excitement of seeing one. A bird flew in off the sea, on the 2nd, not surprisingly causing panic among the birds that rested on the Scar prior to its arrival. In response both small and large birds rose into the air, only to settle moments later when the diminutive size of the culprit was realised and any threat passed. Another bird, intent upon harassing a passing Raven, was observed on the 14th. An unexpected but pleasant surprise was enjoyed by myself and my daughter on the 22nd when we visited Loch Connell for a weekly check upon the site’s birdlife. Having made a preliminary count our vision was attracted by two shapes drifting low over the countryside to the right of us. They were large birds with deeply forked tails: there was no mistaking them for anything other than Red Kites. Unfortunately they did not linger but their presence, I recall, put an extra bounce of joy in our steps when we headed back along the lane and home for brunch.

The final section of this report takes a look at some of the other birds that were recorded during the month, which for one reason or another peaked my interest. First off, Blackcap: a widespread summer migrant that has in recent times taken to over-wintering in Britain in variable numbers. A handsome male was in my garden on the 8th. That same trend is also displayed by Chiffchaff. My daughter noted a single bird on the Corsewall Estate on the 21st. Collared Doves, on account of them being common in the garden environment, generally receive little attention from the birdwatching community. In this respect, I too … shamefully, am as much to blame as the next person .. or at least when it comes to sharing my findings with other folk of this really quite attractive species. But every once in a blue moon, as the saying has it, there is a turn of events that makes me want to highlight this much ignored species. Now… while the 17 birds that my daughter logged during a stroll through the village on the 21st may not peak the curiosity of but a few individuals, that tally prompted me to ask, “Just how many of these birds reside within the village itself, and which gardens do they particularly favour, and why?” Although such thoughts had previously crossed my mind it was apparent that I had not given them the proper consideration they deserve.

At best there are possibly only one or two pairs of Grey Wagtails that ever breed on my local patch, and my records of them are noticeably few and far between. The species is however more common to me during late autumn and winter. This November I entered three observations in my logbook: singletons on the 1st and 2nd and two birds on the 20th. Greenfinches seem to be making a slow but steady come-back. 15 along the Wig track on the 21st was the largest flock that I recorded. The Jay has never been the most abundant of birds in the woods at Kirkcolm to the point where a singleton observed on the 20th represents my only record of the year to date. Similarly, just a loan Lesser Redpoll was noted on the 21st and a Magpie the day before (20th).

There are usually one or two Rock Pipits that frequent the local beaches but on the 16th I saw a party of 16 birds at the Wig and on the 23rd there were 25 - all of which had probably been blown in by the storm winds that battered the coastline at this time. Flocks of Starling are such a regular sight in my neighbourhood that I am guessing they are taken for granted by most folk, like most so-called common species are. The dilemma, I find, is in deciding which flocks I should count, or at least estimate the size of, and those to ignore in preference of avoiding missing a different species that could present itself at any moment and which I would feel duty bound to record. Choices … choices .. choices! 1,000 or so birds observed flying south on the 1st was a gambit that was not bettered later in the month.

Tree Sparrows are dapper little birds that like so many other once common species have shown a marked decline in the countryside. In my garden in Kirkcolm they have always been sporadic visitors over the years so whenever one turns up my sense of excitement is palpable. Two birds caught my attention on the 19th, then again on the 20th and lastly, on the 23rd. Both their arrival and their departure always prompt within my mind the same sorts of questions already asked regarding Collared Doves, ‘Where did they come from? Why are they here? Where do they go when they depart?’ It is likely that the answers to these mysteries will, alas, never be known.

Although the inclement weather of late has limited my outings this month it has certainly been the reason for the increase in numbers of Twite (along with other finches, Meadow Pipits and Skylarks) visiting the area. I counted 60 of the first mentions species on the shore of the Wig on the 7th, whilst on the 21st a minimum of 209 were registered feeding in an adjacent field.

Two of the disadvantages associated with an aging human body are reduced mobility and a decrease in audio sensitivity. Fortunately, my youthful daughter, with her keen identification skills and acute hearing, has been on hand to bolster my meagre recording efforts. A walk by her through the local estate on the 20th resulted in some more than respectable tallies of the following species: Blackbird 69, Blue Tit 58, Chaffinch 70, Coal Tit 21, Dunnock 19, Goldcrest 15, Great Tit 18, Long-tailed Tit 40, Robin 63, Treecreeper 5, and Wren 45.

This article was provided courtesy of the author, S. Grover

When the Wind Blows. Bird Report for October 2025

Two consecutive days stood out this month, the 3rd and the 4th. They were special because a variety of species uncommon to the local area, or of other significance, were likely brought together by prevailing inclement weather conditions. On the 3rd those species were Curlew Sandpiper, Purple Sandpiper, Richard’s Pipit, Wheatear and Twite, and on the 4th, Barnacle Goose, Gannet, Grey Phalarope, Kittiwake, Leaches Petrel, Little Gull, Red-necked Grebe, Sandwich Tern and Swallow. As for all the other species and for information on the above species, please continue to read the remainder of this post.

There were seemingly few Pink-footed Geese about my local patch this month, with 90 birds seen flying over being my highest count, on the 9th. The so-called ‘black geese’ were better represented. Barnacle Geese are always a scarce visitors to the area about Kirkcolm so a party of five that I watched passing the Scar during rough weather on the 4th was notable; this was followed later the same day by a lone bird heading west. Another singleton flew over the Wig on the 17th and one was at Loch Connell on the 27th, where it grazed in the company of 275 larger Canada Geese. At the Wig, I recorded Pale-bellied Brent Geese almost daily, with well over 100 birds logged on 14 days across the month, including three counts of in excess of 200 birds: 202 at the Scar on the 22nd and 250 there the following day (23rd), and 296 on the 26th.

What I like about Mute Swans is that they are big, white (at least the grown-up birds are) and at this time of year have a fondness for gathering in flocks with others of their own kind. For birdwatchers, such as myself, this combination of attributes has a two-fold advantage: it makes them relatively easy to identify and, hence, count, even when viewed from a considerable distance away, such as I regularly experience at Loch Ryan. The recording process is therefore mostly stress-free - the same of which cannot be said for counting distant Scaup or Scoters! Thus, from six miles away in my house I am reasonably confident of the tallies I make of the Mutes that congregate along the southern shore at Stranraer. (A prerequisite to this task is of course the aid of a powerful spotting scope and suitable weather conditions). My peak count of the species this month was 112 birds observed on the 17th. However… and there is always a however or a but… astute persons amongst the readership may have detected a flaw in my approach.  ”What about confusion species, like the similar sized Whooper Swan, which readily associates with its commoner cousin: can the author be certain of excluding them from any counts?” This is a valid question and any answer I offer is likely to be fraught with circumspection, so please note the following. Any count… of any species… that any person ever makes.. is likely to be a source of error if constantly challenged and opposed: there are very few tallies reported that are absolute, unequivocal and definitive. We as people have to accept that error and discrepancy are constituent, and try to reduce these to a minimum to put the odds forever back in our favour. As for myself, I prefer to rely on my experience of any given species and put my trust in that. Thus, after a slight digression, back to waterfowl…I had nine observations of Whoopers Swan spread across the month, with birds at the Wig on six dates, the largest party being six birds on the 17th and 22nd. Loch Connell held the biggest flock, comprising 22 adults on the 5th. Shelduck at Loch Ryan are fast becoming one of those species consigned to memory only. Fortunately they are not quite there yet but it was still a delight to see four plump birds huddled together on the Scar during the blowy and otherwise dreary morning of the 23rd. Perhaps not surprisingly they represented my only sighting of the species during the month.

In many ways drake Gadwall are mundane-looking birds, especially when observed from a distance; but up close, when viewed through the magnifying power of a scope, the detail of their plumage is revealed, with many of their feathers showing fine bars, spots, or streaks - all in shades of grey, black, brown and white. Alas, it is not often that I get the chance to appreciate the delicate patterning of this species thus I relished the opportunity when a bird turned up at Loch Connell, on the 5th. On the same day this body of freshwater also held over 200 Teal hidden amongst the marginal vegetation, with, I suspect, many more obscured from view if their distant whistles were any measure of their presence. My highest counts of Wigeon came from the sea-loch, with a pleasing 144 at the Wig on the 22nd and a large flock of 668 mustered on the exposed flats at Low Balyett on the 10th.

I believe that having high hopes at the beginning of each month is a natural condition among birdwatchers. I certainly held that very sense of anticipation leading to the arrival of this October, looking forward to seeing large rafts of Common Scoters on Loch Ryan. As it turned out I saw relatively few birds, mostly because gusting winds and precipitation affected viewing. On one vaguely clear day (the 14th), I did succeed in making a count of 76 birds. My counts of Eider were similarly affected - the best being 164 on the 10th. Goldeneye were distinctly lacking about the Wig, with a high of just three birds on the 11th, and the situation with Long-tailed Duck was much the same with a winter-plumaged male on the 28th and 29th. Better than none, I suppose.

An immature Pochard was at Loch Connell on the 20th and a Scaup was at the same location on the 27th. The latter species is however more familiar on Loch Ryan but it is rare for me to see this species from either the Wig or my house. But on the 17th lady luck smiled upon me and under the prevailing clear conditions I logged 32 birds off Innermessan during a routine scan of the loch from my house. There were good numbers of Red-breasted Mergansers about the Wig during the early part of the month. A flock of 96 close inshore, on the 4th, was handsomely beat the following day (the 5th) by a significant raft of 200 birds, reducing to 123 the next day, then to 105 on the 9th.

Great Crested Grebes were one of the staple species to be seen at Wig Bay during the month, often occurring in small but scattered groups. My highest count was 33 on the 20th. An unusual record was that of a Little Grebe at the Wig, on the 29th. The same locality had an adult Red-necked Grebe in breeding plumage, on the 4th; another on the 20th, two on the 22nd and 27th and a singleton on the 28th. Slavonian Grebes were of course more frequent than the preceding species, with a high of 22 birds on the 17th. A Black-throated Diver moulting out of breeding plumage was at Wig Bay on the 26th, whilst a resplendent summer-plumaged Great Northern Diver was here on the 6th and 7th, followed by two on the 20th, 27th and 29th. One species that seemed near impossible for me to miss was Red-throated Diver on account of them seemingly being everywhere on Loch Ryan that I cast my gaze: the 22nd was particularly notable, when I logged 223, including a tight raft of 110 birds.

I had a few surprises on the wader front this month, beginning with American Golden Plover. It might be said that this species has become an annual visitor to the Scar in recent years; I have certainly had a good run of birds. The key to finding one is regular and patient scrutinisation of sizeable flocks of the more common and familiar ‘Goldie’, searching through them one bird at a time for something that looks a tad different. A classically marked juvenile was present at the Scar on the 7th and 8th, and a slightly less neat-looking bird there on the 17th followed by a moulting adult on the 29th. At the Wig a juvenile Bar-tailed Godwit was present on the 3rd, with two on the 7th and a single on the 22nd. Also here on the 3rd was a very active, feeding, Common Sandpiper, which foraged amongst the pebbles and cobbles on the beach in the manner of a Turnstone. My best count of Curlew was on the 29th when I observed 72 feeding in the sloping grassy fields at Clendrie. Curlew Sandpipers are always nice birds to happen upon: two juveniles were at the Scar on the 3rd and another - with a very short bill (often appearing straight or with very little curve) - on the 7th. I confess, the bill of the last mentioned bird initially caused me consternation before further close study revealed to me its true identity.

There is something appealing about sizeable flocks of Golden Plover, whether they be carpeting the exposed flats at the Scar when the tide is out, or cavorting in the air above it, twisting and turning, flashing ever changing tones of dark and light as they bank first one way and then the other. If my artistic abilities were ever good enough then such golden spangled flocks would be high on my list to paint. But, I am content just to view the works of others, such as the late C. F. Tunnicliffe, and happy that I am able to view such splendid aggregations of birds from the comfort of my home. This month the Scar was ripe with burgeoning flocks, with over 600 strong, recorded on the 1st and 31st and several larger gatherings in between, including an awesome 923 birds on the 12th. And yes… before you should query it… when it comes to counting birds that are settled on the ground my preference is to count them individually, one at a time, rather than guesstimating blocks of 50 or so birds and then using that as a measure to gauge the number of birds present. This approach is of course painstakingly slow and fraught with peril as birds often do lift off on mass in response to disturbance, such as from a passing raptor or a dog walker. Sometimes the birds will alight nearby, allowing the count to begin again from scratch… 1, 2, 3, etc… and sometimes they will leave the area entirely. Their cousins, Grey Plover, are much less problematic to count, owing to the fact that barely a handful of birds are ever present - in fact, this month there was just a single juvenile on the 17th and two on the 23rd. 

The next species is a fine example of being in the right place at the right time - a Grey Phalarope, seen flying past the Scar on the 4th. Knot seemed to have been scarcer than usual this autumn, so one on the 7th, 16 on the 16th and 7 on the 23rd were very much appreciated by me. An unexpected treat… but a very welcome one at that.. was two Purple Sandpipers at the Scar on the 3rd. Double figures of Redshank at the Wig are always of significant note: 10 were duly registered in the logbook on the 22nd. Ringed Plover is another staple species of the shoreline during autumn. In spite of this they are not always as obvious to me as I would like on account of their small size and bold plumage which effectively render them invisible against the equally disruptive pattern of pebbles and sand of the beach. Consequently, I was more than pleased with the 64 birds I counted on the 23rd. Like the preceding species, Turnstone are also camouflaged for the environment they inhabit but, perhaps, because they are slightly bigger they are easier for me to spot, particularly if the are dashing along the strand-line. 82 birds at the Scar on the 3rd was an excellent count, I thought. A Whimbrel observed in a grassland beside the Wig, on the 29th, was my only record of this species during the month.

On the 4th, five Kittiwake flew past the Scar, whilst on the spit itself sat a first-winter Little Gull amongst a host of commoner species. Two days later (the 6th) at high-tide a second-winter Mediterranean Gull sat on the shore by the Wig Car Park. The following day (the 7th) the very same spot was occupied by an adult bird in winter dress. I presume that the immature just mentioned was the same bird I saw paddling on the flood water in the Pool Field (to the north of the Scar) on the 22nd. A lone Sandwich Tern frequented Wig Bay on the 4th, constituting my only record of the species for the month.

Auk species were surprisingly few and far between: a singleton Guillemot at the Wig on the 17th and two there on the 20th; just a single observation of Razorbill, comprising a party of 11 birds on the 17th. On the seabird front the highlight was probably a Leach's Petrel, which I saw fly past the Scar on the 4th. As expected given the time of year numbers of Gannet were low, peaking at 23 (including a juvenile bird) on the the 4th; there were an additional two juveniles on the 5th and four more on the 6th; the last sighting of the month was of two adults on the 20th. My highest tally of Shag on Loch Ryan was up on the previous month, with a minimum of 256 being logged on the 3rd, split between some 140+ on the pier at Cairnryan and 116 on the Scar.

The Coal Tit is a species that I more regularly see and hear when I am out wandering through areas of woodland in the vicinity of my home. However, very recently they have become frequent visitors to my garden, probably because my neighbour puts out a variety of foods at his well stocked feeding station. The tits benefit from the food provided and I benefit by seeing the birds that are attracted: a win-win situation all round. And because I have recently cleared some of the scrubby growth from my garden there now exist small open patches which the tits use as places to stash their spoils gleaned at the feeders. I saw eight birds doing this very thing, on the 23rd. Feral Pigeon rarely feature in this blog. They are however a constituent part of the village bird community. I expect to come across small bands of them feeding out in the stubble fields or occasionally on the shore of the sea-loch. To see 48 of them at my neighbour’s garden feeding station, on the 6th, was somewhat unexpected.

Pipits are a notoriously difficult group of birds to identify, well known to induce headaches and acute frustration among even the most accomplished birders. It is therefore nice to sometimes come across a ‘text-book’ bird that readily displays all the salient features as might be found illustrated and described in an authoritative field guide. I saw one such bird foraging beside the beach at the Scar on the 3rd - it was a Richard’s Pipit, no less! Funnily enough it was in the very same location that I saw a bird of the same species some several years previous. Observing 35 Skylark on the Wig fields was an encouraging sign early in the month, on the 3rd. That number was exceeded  by a party of 42 birds that flew over the Wig Car Park on the morning of the 29th. I noted a single Swallow on the 3rd and 4th and two birds later, on the 8th. It remains to be seen whether or not any others of this summering migrant will be recorded next month.

There was a welcome return of ‘wintering’ Twite to the fields beside the seashore, with a ‘confirmed’ flock of 80 near the observation hut at the Scar on the 22nd. However, I noted some 240 birds on the 14th, which appeared to comprise mostly Twite, with an unknown number of Linnets. I hadn’t recorded a Water Rail in, seemingly, an age; I was thus pleased when I heard one calling from the estate marsh on the 18th. A Wheatear of the Greenland race was at the Wig on the 3rd and a bird of the year was there on the 7th. Two White Wagtails at the same location as the previous species made a change from the more usual Pied’s that frequent the area. Rounding up this month’s offering, migrating flocks of Woodpigeon are more typically seen on my local patch during November but there was no doubt to the passage of over 400 heading south-west on the 27th.

All in all it was another great month full of equal measures of surprise and delight, both of which outshone the manifest frustrations caused by the poor weather. What will next month bring, I wonder?

This article was provided courtesy of the author, S. Grover

On the move - Bird Report for September 2025

A nice start to the month was the arrival of four Pale-bellied Brent Geese at the Scar on the 6th; thereafter, a small but regular passage of birds became evident. I logged a peak count of 84 birds on the 28th. My first Pink-footed Geese of the season were not until the 20th when two flocks of 120 and 100 birds, respectively, headed south above Loch Ryan.

It has been a while since I have seen any Black Swans on the sea-loch. In the past it has usually been a single bird involved, so imagine my surprise when I saw a party of four amongst a host of Mute Swans at Bishop Burn, on the 14th. The latter species was a familiar sight to me throughout the month with birds concentrated along the shore from Low Balyett to Bishop Burn. I registered a peak count of 102 birds on the 13th and the 29th. Two Whooper Swans were at the Wig on the 20th and were the first of the autumn season on my local patch. They were followed a few days later (the 23rd) by a noisy throng of 20 birds.

Black Swans with Mute Swans, at Bishop Burn

A morning visit to the freshwater site of Loch Connell, on the 21st, resulted in multiple records of local interest. First off were two handsome drake Gadwall. These, however, were upstaged by the presence of a female Garganey. A duck Shoveler almost went unnoticed amongst a tangle of Reed Sweet-grass, whereas in excess of 100 Teal were conspicuous out on open water, having been disturbed from the margin by the feeding activity of an Otter. Lastly, a chocolate and russet coloured drake Wigeon (in eclipse plumage) was another first of the season on my home patch. The following week (on the 28th) a female type Pintail frequented the same body of freshwater.

Sightings of Common Scoter on Loch Ryan typically increase in September as passage and wintering birds begin to move through the area: a peak count of 116 on the 23rd was reasonable enough, slightly exceeding that for Eider, which came in at 111 on the 22nd. I saw the first of the ‘winter’s’ Goldeneye return to Wig Bay on the 16th - a female type - and presumably the same bird again on the 23rd. Over 100 Red-breasted Mergansers were recorded on ten days across the month, so confirming the importance of Loch Ryan for this species. I logged an impressive count of 179 birds on the 16th, yet this was surpassed earlier in the month (on the 4th) by a staggering 568 (including a single flock, 370 birds strong) - my highest here, ever!

I had heard on the birding grapevine that several Red-necked Grebes had been reported from the southern end of Loch Ryan. This information came as no surprise to me because in the calendar year September is the month that I typically associate with the arrival of this species to the said sea-loch. However, for my first sighting of the season I had to wait until the 23rd when two adults, still in their striking-looking breeding plumage, showed up at the Wig. Presumably they were the same birds I saw a few days later, on the 29th. I registered only two observations of Slavonian Grebes from that same location: a singleton on the 20th and a delightful 22 birds on the 23rd. A resplendent adult Great Northern Diver, wearing a chequered black and white overcoat, brought cheer to my heart on the sullen day of the 21st as the tide carried the bird ever so slowly down the length of the loch. Small parties of Red-throated Divers were regular visitors across the month, with notable counts of 89 on the 23rd and 76 on the 28th.

There may never be seen vast numbers of waders on my local patch but there is often a diversity of species. September is usually a prime time to encounter many of these visitors but this year numbers of some species were low. A singleton Common Sandpiper was at the Scar on the 12th and a lone Curlew Sandpiper was at the same location on the 3rd. This same spit of land held very few Dunlin during the month, my highest count being a mere five birds on the 12th. Thankfully, Golden Plovers were more frequent and abundant, with a peak of 304 on the 27th. A singleton Greenshank was at the Wig on the 3rd and another was at Loch Connell on the 21st. My only observation of Knot was of four birds at the Scar on the 8th. As expected, Ringed Plover were recorded frequently, with highs of 70 on the 6th and 60, or so, on the 16th and 17th. The Scar also held three Ruff on the 3rd and the 16th: a rather poor showing for this, and for the next, Sanderling, which I logged a single party of four birds on the 12th. There were seven Snipe at Loch Connell on the 28th. My largest flock of Turnstone was 28 birds at the Wig on the 23rd, whilst finding 10 Whimbrel feeding in a grassland, on the 11th, was a welcome bonus.

Common Sandpiper, at the Scar

Great Black-backed Gulls are big brutes. Their size alone makes them stand out from the crowd. Adults in particular are visually striking, whether they be alone or with others of their kind. A tight knit group of nine such powerful-looking birds, which stood in a grassland beside the Wig (on the 12th), were enough to raise goose-pimples on my skin and send shivers down my spine as I viewed them in close-up through the aid of my field scope. Slightly smaller are Herring Gulls, which can be no less fearsome looking than the preceding species. At this time of year I often see them in troops gathered about the Wig and Scar in regimented blocks, reminding me of those tactics deployed by the Duke of Wellington in the Battle of Waterloo. This species is also a familiar sight on the freshwater of Loch Connell: one such company, 447 birds strong, made for a fine sight on the morning of the 14th. Two adult Kittiwakes passed the Scar on the 2nd, as did seven birds (including a juvenile) on the 15th. An excellent count at Loch Connell was that of 33 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (23 being adults), on the 14th. A juvenile Little Gull was a surprise find at the Scar on the 3rd, while in the same general area I logged an adult Mediterranean Gull on the 4th, 5th and 23rd.

A single Arctic Tern sat on the Scar on the 8th. Three Common Terns frequented Wig Bay on the 3rd, with a singleton on the 14th and a party of four on the 8th. Sandwich Terns were considerably more frequent and abundant than the two preceding species, with observations spanning the month. High counts of 117 birds on the 3rd and 9th and 161 on the 10th were exceeded by flocks of 224 and 258 birds settled on the Scar on the 8th and 11th, respectively - least to say these were among several highlights of the month. And when there are so many terns on view there is always the expectation of skuas to accompany them. A pale morph Arctic Skua sat in isolation on the Scar on the 1st. A different pale phase bird harassed terns and small gulls, alike, in typical skua fashion as it manoeuvred its way across Wig Bay on the 6th. Yet another pale type bird caused similar panic and consternation on the 8th, as did a dark morph bird on the 9th and, presumably, another dark bird on the 16th. The potential victims of these attacks had good reason to complain…and complain they did...vociferously! I, on the other hand, was spell bound and captivated by these piratical visitors, which seldom venture to Loch Ryan.

The number of Gannets visiting the sea-loch was still strong in the early part of the month: a high of 62 birds on the 6th was a more than respectable tally, in my mind. Most days in September were free of sightings of Black Guillemots…until, that is, the 23rd when ideal conditions prevailed and I successfully logged 154 - a better than excellent result that was well worth the frustration of waiting for suitable conditions to apply. During the month I had two observations of Guillemot on Loch Ryan: a singleton on the 17th and three on the 23rd. Like the preceding species, Razorbill were also noted twice, with two on the 3rd and an impressive aggregation of 50 on the 23rd.

Arctic Skua chasing Sandwich Terns

The biggest number of Cormorants I logged was 52, on the 2nd, whilst my peak count of Shags was 218 (with 184 forming a convenient line along the length of the Cairnryan Pier) on the 23rd. Six Little Egrets congregated at the Wig, on the 12th. The presence of a large female Peregrine cleared the Scar of all other birds, on the 8th; she sat there, consuming her prey, undisturbed for a considerable length of time. A very dark-looking Peregrine similarly emptied the Scar on the 19th, as it pressed home an attack on the panic-stricken birds that twisted and swirled in the air after take-off in an attempt to evade capture. One Turnstone was not so fortunate as the others that escaped to live another day!

House Martins were in short supply, with just seven on the 4th and six - my last of the month - on the 23rd. Swallows faired a little better, being registered on six days, with the largest count of 31, also on the 23rd, and a singleton on the 27th being the last entry in my logbook.

Single Chiffchaffs were in my garden on the 2nd, 22nd and 23rd. A first-winter Melodious Warbler eating berries in my garden during pouring rain on the 3rd was both unexpected and extraordinary, if not monumental; not only is this species a rare bird in mainland Scotland it is the first - and in all probability, the last - that I will ever encounter within the humble setting of my garden…a great big, humongous, “Wow!” The Willow Warblers that I saw in my garden during the days that followed the aforementioned, and which consisted of singletons on the 11th, 15th, 20th, and a fantastic six birds on the 19th, did not somehow fill me with the same feeling of elation, despite being an excellent run of birds in their own right.

Immature Yellow Wagtail, at the Scar

To wind up this month’s offering, I logged a party of four Mistle Thrushes (the first I have recorded on my patch in seemingly an age) on the 3rd, my first Redwings of the season - eight on the 29th; two Wheatears at the Wig, on the 23rd; and finally, and of particular interest, an immature Yellow Wagtail at the Scar (also on the 23rd) - the latter representing only my second or third record (if memory serves me correct) of this species on my local patch during my 17 year residency in Kirkcolm.

What delights may there be in store next month, I wonder?

This article and the accompanying images were provided courtesy of the author, S. Grover