Dodging the Downpours - October Bird Report

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

If the weather is fine the chances are that you will spend longer outside bird watching than if it is raining.  The more time you spend looking the greater the number of species you are likely to record.  Here on my local patch October was decidedly wet this year.  Fortunately, living in a house with commanding views over Wig Bay - coupled with the use of a decent spotting scope - I was able to witness nature despite the frequent downpours.

Mute Swan numbers on Loch Ryan remained pretty much constant throughout the month, with 108 being the highest count on the 17th.  Icelandic Whooper Swans were also frequent visitors at this site; some 60 birds mingled with their British mute cousins at Low Balyett on both the 15th and 21st.  They were more regular at Loch Connell, however; from my house I heard their calls almost daily coming from here, over the intervening hillside. A visit to this shallow expanse of water on the 24th found 406 of them spread across its gleaming surface. 

Weather and tides sometimes act together at the Scar to favour the roosting of Pink-footed Geese.  The cold light of dawn on the 10th allowed me to see 624 birds lift off from here and head out to feed in fields elsewhere.  Darkness at evening time prevents ready observation but the calls of Greenland Whitefronts passing overhead on the 21st revealed their presence to me.  Similarly, the barking of a Barnacle Goose alerted me to its presence as it flew across the Wig on the 11th.  Canada Geese may not be everyone's favourite birds but, nevertheless, 179 of them made an impressive sight as they grazed an abuttal field at Loch Connell on the 24th.  In contrast, Pale-bellied Brent Geese are adorable, are they not?  Their numbers on Loch Ryan seem to vary daily with some birds stopping only briefly before moving on, whilst others linger, form new social groups, disperse, then come back, reorganize themselves and mutter constantly in a low growl.  The largest single flock was 242 on the 31st.  A Dark-bellied Brent was noticed amongst the flocks on the 4th and 16th.

Just a few of the many Canada Geese at Loch Connell

No Shelduck were seen about the Wig but 11 were recorded at Piltanton during a WeBS count on the 10th.  The only observation of Pintail was one at Loch Connell on the 3rd.  Also at this site and on the same date were two Shovelers; a male moulting out of eclipse plumage was also there on the 24th.  This site held the highest number of Teal, peaking at 100 on the 17th, but they also occurred elsewhere locally, including 13 at the Wig on the 16th.  Wigeon reached 130 birds at Loch Connell on the 24th whilst at the Wig there were over 335 on the 29th.  Down at the southern end of Loch Ryan, at Low Balyett, in excess of 2000 birds were counted on the 28th.

Understandably the sea loch was the place for spotting maritime waterfowl.  Common Scoters peaked early on with 141 on the 2nd.  There was a single male Velvet Scoter on the 7th and two males on the 17th.  Eiders were mostly seen in small, scattered flocks across the loch, with good counts of 260 birds on the 10th and 190 on the 31st.  A handful of Goldeneyes were present throughout the month, virtually all of them being female or immatures.  A small number of winter-plumaged Long- tailed Ducks were observed mid-month onwards, whilst a male still in brown summer dress was at the Wig on the 31st.  Pochard are rare these days on Loch Ryan so the seven observed flying southwards down the loch at low level were noteworthy indeed on the 8th.  Also of interest, and on the same date, as well as on the 30th, was a Tufted Duck bobbing about inshore at the Wig.  This species is more typically encountered at Loch Connell; it was here that  26 birds were recorded on the 24th.  On Loch Ryan Red-breasted Mergansers hit the 100 mark on two occasions: 107 on the 11th and 112 on the 22nd. 

A single Black-throated Diver close inshore at the Wig on the 20th was a nice find.  A lone Great Northern Diver on the 28th was the only observation of this species.  Red-throated Divers were present throughout the month, with respectable counts of 43 on the 2nd, 58 on the 6th and 39 on the 31st.  Great Crested Grebes were more obvious this month than last; perhaps their stark winter dress made them more visible, enabling counts of 35 and 33 to be made on the 6th and 17th, respectively.  A parade of 21 gleaming white necks, forming a regimented line, seemed to be a fitting celebration when the sun pierced the sullen sky at the Wig on the 11th.  Only a year or so ago Red-necked Grebes became regular winter visitors to Loch Ryan.  That now appears to have been short lived; just a single on the 2nd and, possibly the same bird on the 9th, were the only records.  Slavonian grebes were present throughout the month, with 12 observed on three occasions: the 6th, 13th and 28th.  Sightings of Little Grebes were restricted to Loch Connell, with nine being the highest count on the 3rd. 

A Black-throated Diver comes in close during a downpour

As anticipated from previous years the number of Gannets visiting Loch Ryan fell rapidly in October.  There were 25 on the 1st, decreasing to 11 on the 9th, then 9 on the 13th, and just one thereafter to the months end.  Cormorants peaked at 49 on the 11th, including 28 birds on the Scar.  Shags were more plentiful with 282, also on the 11th, including 138 on the Cairnryan Pier.  On the 22nd the Scar hosted 72 birds.

An unexpected surprise was a ‘ringtail’ Hen Harrier quartering the ‘Twite Fields’ at the Wig on the morning of the 25th.  This bird was followed minutes later by the first Merlin of the season and, later the same day, a Peregrine - an atypical trio for the neighbourhood that was well received. 

The only Lapwings observed on the local patch were at Loch Connell, with the highest count of 70 on the 24th.  Golden Plovers were regular visitors at the Scar in varying numbers but with highs of 532 on the 12th and 834 on the 22nd.  An American Golden Plover was picked out amongst its commoner brethren on the 17th and 18th.  This species appears to have become an annual visitor in recent years.  Its identification, of course, is dependent upon patient and close scrutiny of flocks of ‘goldies’.  Five Grey Plovers at the Scar on the 31st was the only record of this species; generally, it becomes more frequent next month.  The maximum count of Ringed Plovers was 106 on the 12th.  Knot were scarce about Loch Ryan but 36 were recorded at Piltanton during a WeBS count on the 10th.  Bar-tailed Godwits were thin on the ground with just three at the Wig on the 10th and two there on the 11th and 12th.  Black-tailed Godwits didn’t fair any better with one on the 2nd, 11th and 12th. 

American Golden Plover with a Wigeon and Ringed Plover

Kittiwake sightings at Loch Ryan usually stem from winds pushing birds in from the North Channel; consequently, their arrival is ad hoc.  Just two birds were seen on the 5th.  Probably the last Sandwich Terns of the year were logged on the the 1st when four passed the Scar.

Numbers of auks were low, although that may have been a reflection of weather patterns affecting visibility rather than a paucity of birds.  A count of 35 Black Guillemots on the 3rd was reasonable.  Totally unexpected, and rare to boot (on Loch Ryan, that is) were two Puffins seen about Wig Bay on the 5th.

Skylarks are regular birds of passage but are hardly ever observed in large numbers: 24 was the highest count, on the 24th.  Two House Martins on both the 5th and the 11th were the only records of this species.  Swallows were more frequent, with 44 on the 1st reducing to a singleton on the 21st.  The vociferousness of Nuthatches makes their distribution relatively easy to plot; there were five in the estate woods on the 15th.  Just single Fieldfares were noted on the 9th and 31st.  The large influx of Redwings noted in some parts of Britain seemed to bypass the North Rhins.  They were recorded more frequently than the preceding species but numbers were, generally, lacking - though a few more than previous years totals for October; the highest count was a flock of 53 on the 21st.  Mistle Thrushes are scarce and elusive in the local vicinity, as vouched for by just one bird being noted on the 11th.  A ‘Greenland’ Wheatear was a welcome addition at the Wig fields on the 11th, where there were also 18 Pied Wagtails on the same date.  Single Grey Wagtails were observed about the Corsewall Estate on the 4th, 11th and 15th.  My garden held a pristine, male Lesser Redpoll on the 9th, 12th and 14th: a gaudy Greenfinch (still a rare bird in the neighbourhood) on the 28th: and 104, ubiquitous and noisy, House Sparrows on the 27th.  

A Grey Wagtail paddles in the brook

All in all another busy month of birds despite the persistent rain. Let us hope that November proves to be just as rewarding a month.