Probably because Canada Geese in Britain are descended from introduced stock, and therefore not considered native, they are neglected by many of the birdwatching fraternity. From an artists point of view, however, they are subjects of inherent beauty, providing elegant shape and form combined with crisp and contrasting plumage tones, all of which lure the eye and draw attention. But enough eulogy. This species is common enough in the manicured countryside, but less so where salt-water dominates, such as Loch Ryan. A party of six at the Wig, on the 9th, thus provided me with a pleasant distraction. Feral Greylags are thought of in similar fashion to their black and white counterparts, just mentioned. After breeding they too congregate in flocks. There are usually a few birds to be seen in the vicinity of Loch Connell. A closely knit gaggle of 82 here, on the 18th, was typical of such post-breeding dispersal. Meanwhile, if it is Mute Swans that you seek then the sea-loch just over the hill from Connell can heartily be recommended. The numbers of swans here steadily increased as the month progressed, rising to a peak of 90 on the 29th.
Mallard are one of several species that are more common at the southern end of Loch Ryan than about the Wig, to the north. So although I may never see many here when bay watching, I am usually assured of some on the freshwater at Connell, should I ever be in need of a ‘fix’ of this species. A count at this inland site on the 11th resulted in a respectable 45 being entered into my logbook, the majority of which were males in eclipse plumage. Amongst them was a female type Shoveler, which presumably was the same bird I saw there the following week, on the 18th. Loch Connell is also a site favoured by Teal, especially during the winter months: I was content with the 11 birds present on the 18th.
Naturally enough sea-faring ducks are more at home on the saline water of Loch Ryan. I saw four Common Scoters on the 14th and five on the 28th. Eiders were of course seen daily, with a peak count of 258 on the 21st. Less abundant were Red-breasted Mergansers: a reasonable tally was 80 at the Wig, on the 20th.
Not unexpected, but nevertheless somewhat scarce on my local patch, were two Coots at Loch Connell on the 11th and 18th. The same site held a Great Crested Grebe and a Little Grebe (alias Dabchick) on the 25th. The larger of these two species of grebe I recorded frequently about the Wig, with a high of 12 birds on the 8th. Here also I logged three separate individuals of Red-throated Diver, on the 15th, 16th and 17th.
I would have expected to log at least a couple of Black-tailed Godwits this month but there were none. I did, however, record singleton Bar-tailed Godwits at the Scar on the 17th and 23rd. Numbers of Curlews at the Wig peaked at 65 on the 31st, whereas the highest count of Dunlins (11) came from the same location, on the 8th, when the first Golden Plover of the season also happened to be recorded. The highest counts of the latter species came on the 26th and 29th, with a rather poor showing of just 10 birds. A party of 12 Knot paused briefly at the Scar on the 20th. Loch Connell held 18 Lapwings on the 11th; a singleton observed in the Wig Fields on the 29th was an unusual record. Oystercatchers steadily increased in numbers about the Wig, peaking at 128 on the 31st. Numbers of Redshanks here were considerably fewer, with five being the largest flock I encountered, on the 8th. The passage of Ringed Plovers seemed to be almost constant, with a peak count of 52 being registered on the 28th. There were few juveniles amidst their ranks. Just one Ruff was logged, at the Scar on the 24th. Sightings of Sanderlings were spread across the month, with eight being the highest tally on the 12th. A wisp of five Snipes were at Loch Connell on the 11th and 18th. Back on the strand line, under the constant ebb and flow of the tide, the seaweed seemed to be ever shifting by the bulldozing activities of Turnstones forever in search of crustaceans and other tasty morsels. A flock of 24 birds was the largest I encountered, on the 31st. Many of those I saw still wore resplendent summer dress rich in orange, brown, black and white.
So far this year Black-headed Gulls have been noticeably sparse on my patch; to see plus 100 of them was thus something of a relief, on the 10th. Mediterranean Gulls are always scarce birds on my doorstep, so to record them on five days this month was a delight: an adult on the Wig Fields, on the 6th, followed by a first-winter bird on the 9th, 10th and 17th, and another adult at this same location, on the 23rd. Sandwich Terns were observed on five days, beginning with 10 (4 juveniles) at the Scar on the 1st and concluding with 14, also here, on the 31st.
Although Gannets were observed most days they were generally few in number, with 17 being the highest count on the 31st. Immature birds were noted on two occasions: a third year bird on the 19th and another of probably the same age class on the 28th. Cormorants stood in sentinel-like fashion at a few favoured locations, making assessment of their numbers relatively straightforward. 39 were present at the Scar on the 28th. The same sites were also used by Shags, with the pier at Cairnryan being particularly favoured. 31 gathered here on the 8th.
A Great White Egret was a nice find in a bay to the north of the beach at Kirkcolm (on the 8th), where ready comparison could be made with it and an accompanying Grey Heron. On the same day I saw a Little Egret energetically chasing fry in the shallows at the Scar; a few days later (the 11th) a bird was at Loch Connell, and at the end of the month one at the Wig; I like to think that it was the same bird on all three occasions, roaming in search of food, but without any distinguishing marks or features they could just as easily have been separate birds.
A Hobby seen hunting over the Wig Fields was a most pleasant discovery on the 25th. Alas, I never saw it (or another) again. Similarly, I feasted my eyes upon a Merlin that came in low over the sea, on the 20th, then proceeded purposefully over the Wig Fields and beyond, towards Connell Hill. It was my first of the season; let’s hope it will not be the last!
Now to the Hirrundines and lookalikes. Thankfully there were more House Martins to gaze upon this month than last. In the sky above Loch Connell I counted the most, 106 in all, on the 18th; I also thought that the 76 swirling birds above the Wig Fields on the 30th was a respectable gathering. It was at the aforementioned freshwater loch that accounted for my sightings of Sand Martins this month. Over 40 birds mingled with 82 of their white-rumped cousins, on the 25th, making for a confusion of martins until I had gauged the numbers of each species present. To compound the task a solitary Swift and a couple of Swallows cavorted amongst them. The latter species was also widespread elsewhere, and my highest count was of 64 sunning themselves on the roof of my house, on the 30th.
I saw a male Blackcap in my garden on the 8th and another on the 29th. Also in the garden, but on the 26th, were two Chiffchaffs. There was a Whitethroat at the Wig on the 8th and other singletons elsewhere on the 11th and 18th. Most of the Willow Warblers I observed were in my garden, with two on the 9th, one on the 10th and two on the 19th; an additional two were encountered down Fisher Lane on the 31st.
To round things up: there is typically an appreciable increase in the number of Linnets visiting the area during August. Some years there is a gradual build up, other times sudden, almost overnight. On the 8th the Wig Fields harboured 35 birds, on the 12th there were some 100, and come the 30th I counted over 250. By comparison there were few Meadow Pipits to be seen on passage: in fact, just one on the 20th and another on the 31st. Undoubtedly I missed many … perhaps a great many! Nuthatches are relatively quiet at this time of year, as perhaps suggested by my only record - a singleton, on the 11th. Robins, too, pass by in silence through the summer, though begin to make their presence known again in late August when they burst forth in song, advertising themselves and their claim to territory. Early in the month I saw barely a handful of spotty juveniles on my travels: at the month’s close (31st) I heard ten adults in full song. A lone Skylark (on the 8th) was the only one of its species that I entered into my logbook the entire month long; however, like meadow pipit, I am guessing that many went undetected. A pleasant sighting was that of a Wheatear at the Wig, also on the 8th; but I was even more surprised to see a spotty juvenile near the Scar on the 20th - surely, a bird bred locally. A further two birds were in the same vicinity on the 31st.
Leaving the best ’til last, as it is said, my garden was host to an extraordinary occurrence in the early morning of the 20th. Gazing through a house window I noticed a Great Spotted Woodpecker (an uncommon but not unexpected visitor) in the Eucalyptus tree, a Spotted Flycatcher (exceedingly rare visitor to my garden) perched in a fruit tree, and a Wryneck (a garden first!) down on the paving. Awesome! They were present momentarily, then they were gone.
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