Coming into Flower: Bird Report for 16/03/20 - 22/03/20

After last week's influx of new species, this week seems relatively quiet in comparison. We've still been seeing a great variety of species however, including a particular focus on plants this week. 

Early flowering Wood Sorrel, but more on this later

Starting out on the Loch this week, and our Red-throated Diver numbers looked to be a little low compared to previous records. Whilst the highest count was only 30 birds, we did have a couple showing breeding plumage as well. Our other divers this week included a couple of Great-northern Divers, and a single Black-throated Diver at the beginning of the week. Alongside them, we had regular records of Slavonian Grebes, including a pair that were displaying. 

One of the most interesting (or frustrating, depending on your perspective!) aspects of birds, is the individuality within species. This often leads to races of birds within a species (some of which become new species themselves) which are unique to specific areas. Despite these races being determined by locality, they often still crop up here and there. This week we had a continental Cormorant (P. carbo sinensis) and a Scandinavian Herring Gull (L.a argentatus), which is the species from which our western Herring Gull race originates. These are very hard to identify with the Cormorants having slightly whiter heads, and the Herring Gulls being a shade darker on their backs and wing, and have less black on the wingtips. There are many species with defined races, including Black Guillemots, Dunlins, and Ringed Plovers, just to name a few. However, for most of these the difference between races is in the biometric measurements, and so often impossible to tell by sight when in the field. 

Speaking of Ringed Plover, they were a little thin on the ground this week, with only 1 bird recorded. On the whole though we had a good selection of waders, including 20 Curlews, 45 Turnstones, 150 Oystercatchers, and 3 Dunlins. 

Whilst things may have been tough to see this week, there certainly was a lot to hear! From Great-spotted Woodpeckers drumming, to the startled cry of a Pheasant, many species gave away their presence without ever being seen. This can be particularly useful when it comes to small brown birds, who are hard to tell apart by sight sometimes. Luckily we had a delightful chorus this week, including Linnets, Skylarks, Meadow Pipits and Chiffchaffs.

One species that was on the rise were the Stonechats. Normally we perhaps get a record of one once a week, but this week we had 7! We also had some good records from Loch Connell this week, including both Greylag and Canada Geese, alongside Tufted Ducks and a lone Goosander.

 Marsh Marigolds (left) and Ivy-leaved Crowfoot

Following a very warm winter, we have seen lots of plants starting to flower much earlier than expected. Throughout the Corsewall Estate we've had numerous early flowering plants, including Wood Sorrel, which normally isn't out till April. Really getting ahead of the competition was the Ivy-leaved Crowfoot and Marsh Marigold, which locally flower in May! Whether this is a result of the warmer winter, or perhaps a sign of global warming is unknown, but perhaps something to consider should they follow this trend in future years. 

And that's another week rounded out! We're still hoping to see lots of new species cropping up in the coming months, and even in light of the current world situation, we'll do our best to get out there and see some of them. We encourage people to continue birdwatching as part of their allowed excursions, however please practice the recommended distancing and stay safe. You might not be able to speak to fellow birdwatchers out and about, but we can still share records and photos online!

[All photographs were taken by and belong to Stephen Grover, please ask for permission if you wish to use them.]

What is Birdwatching and how do I become a Budding Birdwatcher?

Birdwatching is a vast and broad subject, with no limits of how far or little you can pursue it. That said, from an outsider peering in, it can appear a daunting hobby. Trying to learn the differences between hundreds of species, numerous moults, plumages and immature stages. There's so much to know you could make a career out of it, and indeed, many people have. There is, of course, no lower limit for birdwatching, if you enjoy seeing the Robins in your garden, then that qualifies you as a birdwatcher to me! However, for many of us, that is not enough, and there is a drive to be able to identify more species, whether to learn about them or just the enjoyment of knowing what you have seen. Therefore, in this article, I will try and list some tips on how to improve your identification skills and get even more out of birdwatching.

The first tip to being a better birdwatcher is to bird watch more! This is pretty obvious really, after all, the more experience you gain, the better at something you become. For birdwatching this is especially true, as seeing birds in the field is very different from viewing them in a book. Whilst you can view birds in great detail as they stand still on the beach, or perch on a branch, I find this a rarity in encounters. More often, they are flying past at great speed, diving into the waves or hidden away in the treetops. Bird identification is really a combination of a multitude of factors, but familiarity with the target species goes a long way in assisting with that. So by going out, not only are you encountering new species that you will start to learn about, but you are also building up confidence with the species you already know. After all, the first step to identifying a new species is knowing its not a species that you already know!

Joining local bird outings can be a great way to learn from others!

Perhaps the most crucial aspect of improving your birdwatching is the equipment you use. Not only can this allow you to actively see more birds, but provide a wealth of knowledge from which you can draw upon. Though when I say equipment, what do I mean? Like all aspects of birdwatching, there is a wide range of equipment to be used, from the naked eye up to long-distance telescopes and fancy high tech cameras. I would say there are two key components for birdwatching though; the field guide, and the binoculars.

Field guides are the core of your learning ability when it comes to bird identification, as they will be your first port of call when looking up a new species. From detailing the main features, calls and even likely habitats, field guides contain a wealth of information that varies from book to book. What you have can often be down to availability, cost, or even personal choice, but if I had to recommend one it would be Collins. Detailing European species it offers all the aforementioned information, along with several great pictures for each species, all without ending up too bulky. Local pocket guides can also be great, offering instant access to common species and easily fitting into a coat pocket.

Perhaps the iconic tool of birdwatching, binoculars are a staple for once you start heading out and about. Such is the wary nature of birds that we can never get to close, and so binoculars allow us to observe without causing a disturbance, and to those that do come in close, see in great detail. Much like with field guides there is a huge variety, with massive ranges in size and optical magnification (and price!). I can't offer much wisdom when it comes to purchasing binoculars, having only purchased one set, which I've had for the last 5 years or so. However, I would recommend trying out binoculars before you buy them, as whilst written reviews can tell you all sorts of useful numbers, how they feel in hand is most important and can heavily influence your decision.

The Birdwatchers essentials, or mine at least!

From there you can look at spotting scopes (telescopes), tripods and even cameras. All of these are great tools for assisting in birdwatching, enhancing the experience in different ways. For a beginner or even intermediate birdwatcher however, they are by no means necessary, and should only supplement your current equipment. The combination of cameras tripod and scope can result in some great picture opportunities, but certainly, for myself, the price barrier is just a bit too high, and I enjoy the hobby well enough with my trusty binoculars.

The last tools I would recommend are the humble pen and paper. Being able to record what you see, from species to the features of an unknown bird, is an often overlooked part of birdwatching. As often is the case for me, I don't bring my field guide (or even my binoculars) when I go out. However, I always have a pen and paper, and so when I see something I am able to jot down its features; general shape and colour, its behaviour, habitat, and anything else that might help distinguish it. It's amazing how these simple bits of information can help you to later identify birds when you get your hands on your bird guide.

Just like people, birds all have their own quirks and characteristics

The very final aspect of improving your birdwatching is knowing that not all birds need to be identified upon sight. Whilst visual clues are perhaps the easiest to determine a species, both its call and behaviour can be indicative of the species. Now to some calls can seem like 1000 similar sounds (indeed, bird calls is what I struggle with the most). However, I would bet that most people can instinctively recognise the cry of a Herring Gull and Oystercatcher, simply because we hear them so often. So when it comes to bird calls, focus on a few common species that you know you will encounter. Get used to listening to their calls, and you will slowly start to pick them up. From there you will start to notice unfamiliar calls, and so from writing them down, looking them up, you will learn new birds that way.

Behaviour is something that can be unique to species, such as Snipe, which will fly directly upwards when disturbed. Whilst these things will be mentioned in field guides, it's the kind of knowledge you gain from having watched the species extensively. Such knowledge can be a godsend and allows you to identify some species from the merest of glances.

Once again I seem to have overdone it with these articles, but I hope you found some part of it useful. Birdwatching is a great past time and can be enjoyed no matter the age or experience, and for me, there is no better part than noticing my own improvement as a bird watcher, so I hope you can all experience that too. 

[All photographs were taken by and belong to Stephen Grover, please ask for permission if you wish to use them.]

New Species Galore! Bird Report for 09/03/20 - 15/03/20

Last week I mentioned several species that we should hopefully start seeing as we creep towards spring. We were unable to obtain any records of them (though I have heard of Ospreys being sighted elsewhere across the country), however, we still were able to produce yet more new species for the blog, and some very exciting ones at that!

This week I found myself with the opportunity to walk into Stranraer. It is only 6 miles or so from Kirkcolm, and a lot of the walk is alongside or on the beach, so is great for passive bird watching. Whilst I saw our regular gulls, waders and the other species that are common on the loch, I was lucky enough to pick up a few interesting records as well. Just past Soleburn, I encountered a flock of Oystercatchers, and on the flock's edge, a small, grey wader. Fortunately, last week's feature article was wader identification, and so with the information fresh in my mind, I eliminated the waders it couldn't be, ending up with a Dunlin. This was our only Dunlin record this week, and I was happy that I could identify it with confidence from a reasonable distance.

The fun didn't stop there however, as barely a 100 metres along the beach I disturbed a flock of 30 Redshank. Whilst most turned back and flew past me, a group of 3 separated and went forward. Scanning the waves with my naked eye, I noticed a large dark bird coming in low over towards the Redshanks. Upon looking at it with my binoculars, I saw it was a Peregrine, and proceeded to watch it hunt the Redshank for the next 5 minutes. It would get scarily close to the waves as it bombed down towards them, causing the Redshank to dive into the water to avoid capture. The Peregrine (and several gulls at this point) would then circle around waiting for it to take off again. This repeated a few times, with the Peregrine getting closer and closer with each attempt. And then suddenly it just stopped and flew back inland once again. This was a fantastic sighting for me, as not only are Peregrines one of my favourite birds, I have never been able to witness one hunting so close to the shore before. It could have only been better with a successful hunt, but I shall have to wait for next time for that!

Peregrine chases a Redshank - artists sketch

Moving onto some of our more staple species, and ducks are doing as well as ever. Eiders were congregating in large flocks with week, with the largest seen having over 250 birds. Goldeneye and Red-breasted Mergansers were also common in smaller flocks, whilst Long-tailed Ducks are still out and about in varying numbers. Common Scoter are often seen in large numbers, and this week was no different, with flocks from 70- 250 birds recorded. Occasionally we also get Velvet Scoters amongst them, but this week we went one step further and saw a Surf Scoter! We have had a couple recorded in previous years, but it is a rare American species and so needs a bit of wind behind it to find their way over here. Once arrived though they often come back the following year, perhaps incorporating it into their migration route, or just staying on the sea all year round. 

There has also been plenty to see in the fields around the loch, as with spring approaching all manner of small brown birds start to flock together. We have recorded flocks of Twite all winter, and this week was no different with over 60 birds sighted on Tuesday. Skylarks have become more common with up to 13 birds seen (and heard) in a day, whilst Meadow Pipits have now been recorded on several days. New to the blog though were the Linnets, which were seen in a group of 3 across numerous days. They are native to Britain all year round, but normally pass up the Wig during winter in favour of better feeding grounds elsewhere. Spring must be on its way however, as we had our first Chiffchaff calling this week. Normally they winter in warm climates like Spain or Africa, and so perhaps this early migrant is a sign of better weather to come!

Twite feeding on the shore

As per usual there are loads of species I've been unable to mention, but I wish to highlight some of the more unusual records of the week. Up at Loch Connell we have large flocks of Pink-footed Geese, and this week they were joined by 300 Greylag Geese. Loch Connell was also the sight of 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, whilst the same number of Kittiwakes graced Loch Ryan. And hidden away amongst the mud a lone Woodcock was seen on the outskirts of the Corsewall woods. 

After all the excitement you wouldn't think we'd have anything else, but I was saving the best till last. This week we had a new species for our Loch Ryan list (so unseen previously in the last 12 years), and yet its one of the largest things seen in the Loch. It was (drum-roll please) a Pilot Whale! These are a bit of a misnomer, as like Killer Whales they are in fact Dolphins. Normally present in pods, this individual was Spy-hopping, where it raises its head out of the water to take a look at its surroundings. A good job too, as it then disappeared back underwater without even a trace of a fin. Whilst they aren't exactly uncommon (they are an Atlantic species and can be seen from Ireland travelling in pods) we have never had any venture into the Loch, and so we're very happy to add it to our list. 

Nothing could really top that as an ending, and so another weekly report comes to a close. We will no doubt see more species arriving in the coming weeks, so keep your eyes peeled for Avians and Cetaceans alike!

(Pictures belong to Stephen Grover, please ask for permission if you wish to use them)

Black and Red: Bird Report for 02/03/20 - 08/03/20

March is well and truly upon us, and as spring rapidly approaches, we should start to see lots of species turning up. Amongst these include Wheatears, Sand Martins, and perhaps some of the first Ospreys of the year. Whilst we have not seen any of these yet, it didn't stop us from finding yet more new and exciting species!

After my wader identification guide, it seems only suitable to start with them, and indeed this week we've had a veritable horde of waders. Oystercatchers and Curlews are as common as ever, with records of up to 180 and 60 birds respectably. Turnstones, Ringed Plovers and Redshanks were also seen all along the coast, from the Wig to Stranraer and Bishop Burn. And in amongst them, we had yet more species. Grey Plovers are still about, with a pair seen on the scar on Tuesday. Two must have been the magic number that day, as we also recorded a pair of Dunlin! Finally, whilst not a definite record, I had a probable Little Stint at the edge of Stranraer. Whilst I could have easily been mistaken (not bringing my binoculars was a big mistake!) a record was posted in Dumfries and Galloway barely 30 minutes after I saw it. If anyone knows anything about this record I would be very interested in hearing about it. 

Black Guillemot moulting from Winter into Summer plumage

Looking past the waders, and the waters of the loch had much to offer this week. Perhaps for the first time this year, we got our full complement of auks. Black Guillemots are regular sighting on the loch, indeed our highest count this week was 24 individuals. Guillemots are not so common, however on Thursday we got not only 1, but 6 Razorbills as well! They are not resident birds, but breed on Ailsa Craig in huge numbers, so we should expect to see them increase in the coming weeks. 

Our divers and grebes were not to be outdone, with a lot of surprises cropping up this week. Great-northern Divers are still about in ones and twos, but it is the Red-throated divers who stole the show this week. These are regular visitors to the loch, and we often how counts varying from a handful to up to 40-50 birds. However, this week we had a count of 197 separate individuals, a staggering amount. The nationally notable amount for Red-throated divers is 170, and whilst across the whole loch, this might seem pretty reasonable, to have more than that in our patch is very pleasing to see.

Whilst it was very easy to get distracted by all the divers, the true star this week belonged to the Grebes, as a lone Red-necked Grebe graced our waters. Whilst being a rare winter visitor this is our 2nd record this year, so perhaps they're on the rise!

Red-throated Diver in Winter plumage (gains red throat in summer)

March continues to be a good month for raptors, as this week we had up to 4 Buzzards, and last weeks Kestrel made a return as well. The action didn't stop there, as we also got yet more new species. Tawny Owls are relatively common in the woods around us, but actually seeing them can be a bit of a challenge. They often call at night, however on occasion will call in the day time which helps you pin down their location.  Our other new species was a Hen Harrier. Whilst fairly regular on the moors above Cairnryan, they occasionally come down across the loch to visit us. This bird gave us a lot of confusion initially, as on the ground it was just another brown raptor. It wasn't till it took off (flushing out 20 Snipe in the process) that we could make out its white bum to identify it. 

A few other species of interest this week included, Jay, Treecreeper and several Ravens all throughout the Corsewall Estate. We also had a Lesser Black-backed Gull. This bird likely spent the winter in Portugal (a wise decision!) and now is returning to our shores. 

Finally, we had our monthly count at Piltanton Burn this week. It was a relatively quiet month, but still had a great count of 58 Shelduck. Waders were good as always, including 6 Greenshanks, and 3 Little Egrets which are always nice to see. 

That's all for this week. Hopefully, as we progress through March we will start seeing more new records popping up, and I would be very interested to hear from you all when you start to see some of the spring species arriving.

[All photographs were taken by and belong to Stephen Grover, please ask for permission if you wish to use them.]

Knee Deep in Waders: Bird Identification Guide

Continuing with my identification guides, this week I thought I would take a look at some of the waders that we see locally. Waders alone compose a large part of our species total, and so there are far too many to go over individually. I will try to cover some of our regular species, as well as some rarer species that can be easily mixed up with them.

I should say that this is purely based on my experiences as a birdwatcher, and the best way to ID birds is still with a field guide. However, when you're out and about, you may not always have access to one, and so it's helpful to know some tips that can assist in your identification. I would recommend having a bird guide on hand whilst reading this, as many of the features I describe are better understood with a picture. I am pitching this more towards beginner birdwatchers, so will be mostly considering birds in their adult plumages, however, I will also mention some more unusual rarities, so hopefully there is something for everyone!

It would be wrong to talk about waders without at least mentioning Oystercatchers. Dressed smartly in black and white with their orange bills, they are perhaps our most common species, indeed they inhabit coasts and wetlands all over the country. This widespread distribution means they are likely well known to all of us; their unique colour pattern is unmatched by any other wader, and so they are easy to distinguish even at a great distance.

Oystercatcher (left) and Curlew

Another common species to identify are the Curlews, which stand out with their large size and great curved bills. They are the largest of our waders, and so easy to pick out amongst the crowd. They aren't without dissimilar species however, as during late spring we also get Whimbrels. Seen alone they are almost identical to Curlews, however side-by-side they are noticeably smaller, and their bills are shorter and only bend towards the tip. If there is any doubt, then they also have a more prominent dark eye stripe and a different call (though if you're like me - that's too subtle of a difference to tell).

Moving into the general-sized waders, and fortunately, one family have their own distinctiveness, the plovers. Whilst initially they can fall under the "small brown/grey wader" category, they have some standout features that are very recognisable. Ringed Plovers are so-called because they have a dark ring running around the base of their neck. This dark band is very noticeable and is their most distinctive feature when viewed from far away. Our other Plovers are the Grey and Golden Plovers. Both fall into a "medium wader" size category, larger than Ringed Plovers or Turnstones, but not as large as Curlews or Oystercatchers. In summer, both have stand-out black bellies running from their face to their feet and can be separated by the colours in their names. In winter they have very neatly spotted patterns on their backs, and colour differences remain with Golden Plovers appearing to be browner. We occasionally get records of American Golden Plovers, often amongst the Golden Plovers themselves. These can be harder to identify, but generally are slightly smaller and more slender than Golden Plovers, and overall are greyer and less golden. 

Golden, Grey (Winter plumage), and Ringed Plover from left to right

Our other common species in this size bracket is the Redshank. Fortunately, this species lives up to their namesake and have orangey-red legs which stand out against their otherwise dull brown bodies. Whilst not as common, we get semi-regular records of Greenshanks. Once again the name is a bit of a giveaway, however, the greenish-grey legs can be harder to pick out. They are also slightly larger than Redshanks and could be considered more grey than brown.

All that's left to mention now are the small waders. How unfortunate that these are the most numerous, and there are too many small, grey and brown waders to cover. Around the Wig, we do have a few that could be considered regular species, first of which are the Turnstone. The hardest part of identifying these birds can be finding them in the first place! Their dark mottled backs are the perfect camouflage amongst the seaweed and beach debris, and so often the first you know of them is the pebbles seeming running down the beach. They share a dark ring similar to Ringed Plovers and are often seen feeding alongside them. However, in winter their the Turnstones backs are much darker, and in summer they become patterned orange and black.

Turnstone (Summer), Dunlin (Winter) and Dunlin (Summer) from left to right

The final species I will mention is the Dunlin, whose varied plumages can make identifying it very difficult. Indeed, perhaps the best way to go about it is ruling out the things it can't be! In winter it is the stereotypical small grey wader, and it will appear very plain compared to the other species I've mentioned. In summer, it like some other waders also gained a black belly. However, unlike the aforementioned plovers, this only extends from the legs to mid breast, and so is noticeably smaller than other species. Its summer plumage is also a lot more patterned than its winter and has a hint of red-brown to it. With juveniles having both brown and grey stages, they can appear very similar to other small waders, however familiarity with Dunlins will do a long way in helping to identify many similar, rare waders.

And that's all I have time for this week. There are loads of waders that I have had to miss, including Godwits, Sandpipers and other species like Knot and Sanderling. By having gone over the most common birds I hope that you are able to go out and see some of them for yourself to practise on. If you chance upon an unfamiliar wader then be sure to record things like size, colour, pattern and beak size, as these will be most helpful in identifying it from a guide later. Or perhaps by that time, I'll have got another article out covering all these waders that remain...

(All photo's belong to Stephen Grover, please ask for permission if you wish to use them)

The SOC West Galloway Branch March Meeting

Its that time again, and next Tuesday (10th) is the March meeting for the local SOC branch. Held in the Library at 7.30pm, this month our talk is "Birding in the Balearics" with Norman Elkins. This will cover many of the resident and migrant birds seen on Mallorca and Menorca, and will also cover some the other fauna and flora of the islands. It promises to be an excellent talk, and so I hope you will try to come along. 

Marching into a new month: Bird Report for 24/02/20 - 01/03/20

It seems like no time has passed at all and February has come to a close, but I for one am glad to see the back of its consistent stormy weather, here's hoping for a brighter March. Bird-wise February was still very active, with another 8 new species added to the blog, including Bullfinch,  Waxwing, and for the mammals, a Red Squirrel. My personal favourite had to be the Grey Plovers, which with an incoming tide could be seen really close and afforded some excellent views! 

I thought this week I would start by going over the species I rarely touch upon. This is generally because of their commonality, you could almost expect to see them on any outing. Species like Blue Tits, Chaffinches, Blackbirds and Starlings, we probably all see them regularly in our gardens. Certainly, the large gardens on Corsewall Estate are great for them, as up to 20 Blue Tits and Chaffinches were recorded in one visit. These gardens and surrounding woods are always bountiful, and once again this week we had Goldcrests, Nuthatches and Great Spotted Woodpeckers. This is also a great spot to see Roe Deer, as this week we had individuals and pairs spotted on several days.

Male Chaffinch - certainly a regular in our garden!

The great thing about this blog, for me at least, is being able to compare species numbers. From January into February many species have seen a decrease in numbers, including Slavonian Grebes (which were at their lowest this week - an average of only 2 birds a day), Red-Breasted Mergansers, Goldeneye and Red-Throated Divers. Now, this could be put down to the weather, however, it's likely a lot of different factors are at work. Most of these birds are not permanent residents, and there is a constant come and go of new individuals. So the weather combined with a naturally low income of birds has likely resulted in our lower counts over this week and the past month. 

One good thing this weather has brought is more birds coming in off the sea. Last week we had our first Kittiwakes of the year, and I'm glad to say that we had a record of 3 more this week. They weren't the only gulls blown in though, as we had 5 Great Black-Backed Gulls, a significant number for the Wig. Gannets were seen on numerous occasions through the week, and have been on the rise as a whole due to them returning to their breeding grounds.

A Gannet off to try and fill his gullet!

Something I haven't mentioned in a while is our Cormorants and Shags. These are common visitors to the Wig, Shags, in particular, can gather in numbers up to 40 birds along the Scar. Whilst still recorded on a regular basis, both their numbers have also been down compared to previous weeks. 

Perhaps a little surprising, but this week we saw a lot of activity from our local raptors. There is at least one pair of buzzards locally and could be many more in the surrounding area, as we had records from around the Wig, in the Estate and up at Loch Connell. Sparrowhawks have been a little thin on the ground lately, but they are about, its just a matter of being in the right place and time to see them, so this week it was very nice to get two in one day! The action doesn't stop there, as we had a Kestrel (which over the years have become uncommon in our area) and an unfortunate Skylark which was getting chased down by a Merlin.

A Stonechat surveys the scrub

I really have zig-zagged my way through this week's report, so I'll finish it off by just highlighting some of the noticeable records this week. These include the Pink-footed Geese, which were seen in a flock of over 4000 birds. From many to few, we had a male Stonechat on the footpath this week, and on a wet track in the woodland, a Grey Wagtail! Finally, out on Loch Ryan, we had our usual complement of Common Scoter, but with 3 Velvet Scoters as an added bonus. 

And so that's another week wrapped up. Now we head into March where we can hope to see an influx of many birds, including the Spring Wheatears, and if we're lucky the first Swallows and Ospreys. Until then, thanks for checking out the blog and happy birdwatching!

(All records and photos belong to Stephen Grover, please ask for permission if you wish to use them)