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DN vers S pie wae wen cg ytd ensnene gay prevwers poe aes een crease erage hanie eiverbied tenderer seen S andonapaee soa ; : Paves Ss 5 mater Apne sae ege ee HORAN aren aan ruven ae Suet neee oan ete rose ee os Va See eat cep Ware wen vat aed sah een ee sity tales) ten as nde esewe pig cee ee aS af We sree vegans aed noe see Peas ce ene pckgaee cu uste reel wna Pee ae toe venee aie Si: phic npennces eR eter tard Re Reniine eta Meee OS Waa atanwinre serew ye Fpancnaaanee a case fete rire Fetye deni ve ee ices TTS ee : Fat et ew eraraemeses Weke pro~s, Leline te cer ipaeat Wvrerry es MAheunt xrtaty oe w Webinar ion) ser wing hn ben yy whe: Brushevaiwedaoneenee it Sew be Win we wre ay ereacenes vial pepecenet ee! Se rr Mery aarage ge Pit seas beysre tne aie: - ZO} jaa { Y mae] | @ a} atc ‘ 1 € er. > ~ == ( ) dp a Li | ) . | joo ht f =D } Oo. th mm f ras G 1 emt -— Le Scottish Bird Report 1990 Editor: Ray Murray Assisted by : Alan Wood and Alistair Young. The Scottish Bird Report is published by the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club and is available free to SOC members. [tis on sale tonon-members: contact 21 Regent Terrace, Edinburgh for current prices. The Scottish Ornithologists’ Club was formed in 1936 with the aim of encouraging all aspects of ornithology in Scotland. The club has nearly 3,000 members and some 14 branches around Scotland which meet in Ayr, the Borders, Dumfries, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, New Galloway, Orkney, St.Andrews, Stirling, Stranraer and Thurso, each with its own programme of field meetings and winter lectures. The club organises an annual weekend conference in the autumn and a one-day bird- watchers’ conference in the spring. Club members receive the quarterly newsletter Scottish Bird News, two copies of the journal Scottish Birds and the annual Scottish Bird Report. The SOC’s offices and | j Library are in Edinburgh. The Waterston Library is the best ornithological reference | library in Scotland, and is open during office hours and at other times by arrangement with the Librarian. | The Club acts as the coordinating body for ornithological recording in Scotland, | appoints local recorders, and in addition to the Scottish Bird Report, publishes anumber of Local Bird Reports via the branch network. A comprehensive stock of local bird § reports is held at headquarters and may be purchased by mail order. SOC annual membership subscription rates | ACU PT ys ats RUN geek et Ue ge Uaiscre onl Nate Ee eM oe £ 15.00 | ! 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SCOTTISH BIRD REPORT 1990 fi rom SRE EL sam aaa Bh & Ei Number 23, December 1992 | (MAY abo bE AAD 2 ls ¥ wh b B E t ii iy Edited by Ray Murray 4 Bellfield Crescent, Eddleston == Borders EH45 8RQ Published by the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club 21 Regent Terrace, Edinburgh EH7 5BT ISSN 0036 9144 2 Scottish Bird Report 1990 Scottish Bird Report Number 23, January 1993 Contents Editorial 3 Acknowledgements 4 Introduction 4 Species List Crossbills in Scotland in 1990/91 - An Invasion Year. by David C. Jardine Notice to Contributors The Scottish Birds Records Committee Local Bird Report Areas, SOC Recorders and Local Bird Reports Ké@’“zza ec MOF SLI EE” | / “ease ae MM LEE Tn CLLEA Zs Wy i Ae eae Oc KEL G tt OOPS cre 1. ees A f7 piecarecent an = as (anon Vr x —— a a= ZZ QaPiags ALCLLEL OD te gory pr 7 “Wen 10 Fron R.D.Murray [Ed] 3 Editorial The 1990 Scottish Bird Report sees several changes, both in personnel and in style. Alan Wood had to hand over the reins of editor to Ray Murray due to pressure of work after finishing parts of the species list. This section (divers to raptors) and another (waders) written by Alistair Young have been re-written to accord with the alteration in style I prefer. These changes continue the change in format instituted by Alan Wood in the 1989 SBR. The new style seeks, wherever possible, to create a short narrative describing the year for that species in Scotland. The former lay-out, where the reports from each ‘county’ were examined in sequence, starting from Shetland and finishing in Borders, has been dropped in favour of a chronological sequence. The old recording area format has been kept however when dealing with breeding. I hope that this will create a more readable style that accords well with the original intentions for the SBR when it was created in 1968 by Andrew Macmillan. There have been substantial changes in bird recording in Scotland since the pioneering days of the 1968 SBR, not least in the almost total coverage of Local Bird Reports. This substantially alters the role of the national report. It is no longer necessary for the SBR to be a vehicle for the reporting of every interesting bird record reported from Scotland, as it was in the old days. That job has been superseded by Local Bird Reports. This has created a problem for the SBR however in that all Local Recorders, quite naturally, give their Local Report priority. This must be accepted as a fait accompli that cannot be easily overcome. Accordingly it seems unlikely that the SBR can even be started to be written much before the end of the year when the last Local Reports are published. Rather than bemoan this delay, I would like to see it as a chance to produce a more rounded publication with fewer caveats about rarities decisions and a fuller analysis of information for that year than was impossible in the past to handle in the time scale concerned. I would like the SBR to develop a new style that truly summarises the bird events of the year in question. A number of ideas have been floated at the Scottish Local Bird Recorders Conferences in recent years and some will hopefully be incorporated in future. There are obvious targets: the Wildfowl & Wader Counts; goose counts; seabird counts; ringing returns; nestbox schemes; etc. where huge amounts of collected data lie unexamined or are never discussed in a Scottish context. Another area is that the SBR should become the obvious vehicle for articles describing major events or surveys that occurred in that particular year. David Jardine’s paper on Crossbill will continue the series that I started in 1989 with articles on Quail and Nuthatch. I would like to take this chance to appeal for any short articles in this area for the 1992 SBR which will be started this summer. Other changes have taken place in the SBR associated with the switch to computers using desk-top publishing software. It is perhaps this and nothing else that has allowed the SBR to change to a more expansive style, allowing a fuller development of species accounts compared with the compressed format that had evolved in the 1980s due to pressure for space. A change to desk-top publishing means that these pages can be printed for a smaller cost to the SOC and gives the Editor more freedom (albeit more work on the keyboard!). Ray Murray, January 1993. 4 Scottish Bird Report 1990 EN aT I PP AO TO NTO © EY OO LO ES ET RCTS Acknowledgements I would like to thank the numerous observers who contributed records to their Local Recorders in 1990. These are the basis for the species accounts. The Local Recorders and Bird Report Editors play ahuge partincollating © and presenting the huge amount of data presented to them (perhaps 600,000 - 1,000,000 individual reports !). As one of them myself, I fully appreciate their immense contribution to the cause of recording in Scotland. © Alan Wood, Alistair Young and Angus Hogg are thanked for their efforts in compiling the 1990 SBR and > Michael Murphy and Sylvia Laing for their help in proof-reading the drafts. | Two of our longest-standing Local Recorders have stood down recently, Donald Watson and Roy Dennis, the recorders for Stewartry & Wigtown and for Inverness, respectively. Donald is the only 'survivor' from the list _ of Local Recorders in the very first Scottish Bird Report in 1968. Roy joined the ranks 2 years later in 1970. Both must be thanked for their long-term committments to bird recording in their respective areas and the | general development of the Local Recorder system within Scotland. Roy must also be thanked for his | contributions to the Scottish Bird Report as Editor between 1970 and 1983. Paul Collin has become the | Recorder for the Stewartry & Wigtown while Colin Crooke has taken over from Roy in the Highlands. Stuart | Green has also stood down after a brief spell as Angus & Dundee Recorder and has been replaced by his | assistant Martin Scott. Introduction ; 4 This is the 23rd Scottish Bird Report to be published by the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club. It covers the whole country and was compiled by the SOC Local Recorder Network and in the main published in local area reports. Itis on these local area reports that the SBR is based. The local areas are named and mapped on the inside back cover of the SBR alongside a full list of recorders with the details of the areas they cover. As a summary it is felt appropriate to summarise the area names as much as possible, to save space, many |. of the recording areas are referred to by the briefest abbreviation possible for comprehension. These are displayed on the area map on the rear pages. Other abbreviations used are listed below. Only selected records are given, with precedence to peak counts, breeding populations and migration patterns. All national rarities and semi-rarities are included. If more details are required on any records published here, the first source should be the Local Bird Report |, and then the Local Recorder. 7. The sequence and scientific names in the species list follow the Voous sequence. (See Voous, K.H. 1973-1977. : List of Holarctic Bird Species. Ibis 115: 612-638 & 119: 223-250.) it Abbreviations Ist-w first-winter plumage, etc. is All known records given Ist-s first-summer plumage, etc. if m male Jan, etc —_all months shortened to 3 letters fe f female N,SE, etc direction of flight or area of Scotland pr(s) pairs (s) max maximum i. AON apparently occupied nest (s) inc includes AOT apparently occupied territory asl above sea level terr territory m, km metres, kilometres. | c/2 clutch of two eggs, etc. km? square kilometres br2 brood of two young, etc. Res. Reservoir MBS Mean brood size Pe Point juv juvenile L/P. Loch, Lake/ Pond | imm immature R. River : ee a eM ee eres Mme Ee ® R.D.Murray [Ed] 5 Species List for 1990 -Red-throated Diver Gavia stellata No winter counts of note, but spring passage was especially strong on E coast: 42 Loch Ryan D&G 6 Apr; 45 Gullane L 7 Apr; 183 Montrose A&D on 8 Apr; 84 Finnarts Pt. to Seamill Ayr 21-22 Apr; 205 Drums NE 24 Apr; 522 Murcar NE 29 Apr & 414 Balmedie-Blackdog NE 1 May. Breeding: Shet improved success compared to last 2 years; Ork 35 prs raised 36 young; OHeb 15 prs Lewis & Harris raised 22 young but 39-44 prs in Uists only managed to raise 6 young; P&K 4 prs; Cent 2-4 prs. Autumn peaks, mostly in E, inc 14 Dunnet Bay Caith on 22 Jun; 108 Lunan Bay A&D 18 Aug; 70 Donmouth-Blackdog NE 9 Sep ; 138 Spey Bay M&N in Oct was low continuing the decline there; -30W/47E peak passage at Hound Point L 18 Oct; 31 L.Ryan D&G 27 Oct; and 106 Chapeldonan to Maidens Ayr 11 Nov was exceptional. Winter movements include 74E (in 2 hrs) Anstruther F on 9 Dec & 91 past Chanonry Point I&R 10 Dec. Black-throated Diver Gavia arctica Few of note until spring passage: 22 Sinclairs Bay Caith 6 Mar; 17 Loch Caolisport Arg on 17 Mar; 10 Burghead & 4 Culbin M&N 26 Mar; 21 Turnberry Bay Ayr 8 Apr; 15 Largo Bay F 12 Apr; 57 Ballantrae-Seamill Ayr 21-22 Apr; 27 Sound of Gigha Arg 9 May & 9 Jun. Breeding: OH 17 prs on territory but only 3 prs each raised single young; P&K 5 prs and singles summered; Arg 7 prs, 5 bred with 4 raising some young, also other birds in area making it a most productive breeding season; Cent 2 prs bred and failed. No breeding in SW area only a single bird seen at traditional site. Large numbers mainly in W: 29 Sound of Gigha Arg 22 Aug with 39 there 24 Sep; 11 Swanbister Ork 16 Sep; 12 Skipness Arg 26 Sep; 12 Sinclairs Bay Caith 12 Oct; 10 Machrie, Arran Bute 22 Oct; and 23 Chapeldonan to Croy Ayr 11 Nov. Great Northern Diver Gavia immer Largest numbers N&W Isles & Argyll. 23 L.Indaal, Islay Arg 16 Feb; 45 Luce Bay D&G 23 Feb; 100 Wyre Ork in Mar; 25 Whalsay & 33 at Quendale Shet 6 May; 63 off Sanday Ork 8 May; 120 Sound of Gigha Arg 9 May; 28S Taransay OH 13 May; 60 Machrihanish & 80 West LochTarbet Arg on 18 May. Several birds summered offshore but there was no evidence of breeding. Passage from Aug but large numbers only from Nov onwards but much scarcer than Jan-May and scarce away from main areas: 44 Dunnet Bay Caith 13 Nov; 24 Quendale and 24 off Nesting Shet on 22 Nov; 18S (Shrs) Turnberry Ayr 27-30 Dec. *White-billed Diver Gavia adamsii 4, probably 5, birds, all adults. 1 Whalsay Shet from 1989 to 20 Apr; 1 Rousay Ork 1989 - 16 Feb; 1 Balranald OH 20 May; 1 Whalefirth, Yell Shet 16-23 Jun. The Whalsay bird appeared again from 23 Nov into 1991. [1989] 1 ad Rousay Ork 28 Nov-1990. Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis Few notable winter counts: 18 on R.Don between Keig and sea NE 18 Jan; 14 Loch Etive Arg 9 Feb. Breeding: Sites Pairs MBS Orkney D 2 0.5 Outer Hebrides 5) 9 - Caithness 2) 2 3:5 Sutherland 3 3 - Moray & Nairn 17 20 Northeast Scotland 6 6 Angus & Dundee 6 jf Perth & Kinross 18+ 18+ - Central D) 6 2.0 Argyll 5 dj - Clyde 23 39 1.2 Ayrshire 17 738) 2.0 Dumfries & Galloway 7 9+ - Lothian 11 33 - Borders hei 28 21, Reasonable breeding season if less successful than 1989. Post-breeding assemblies inc 10 L. Watenan Caith on9 Aug; 29 L. Flemington M&N 22 Aug; 6 39 Cameron Res. F 16 Sept-1 Oct; 22 Loch Leven P&K 3 Oct; 16 Portmore L. B 27-31 Oct; 8 at L.Scarmclate Caith 22 Nov; 12 Ardentallen Arg 29 Nov. Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus Largest wintering numbers in Forth & Solway: 100+ between Torry-Culross F in Feb; 217 from Blackness to Gullane L & 55 Carsethorn D&G in Feb; & 27 Loch Ken D&G 31 Mar. Breeding: Sites Pairs MBS Moray & Nairn 1 1 1.0 Northeast Scotland 1 1 - Angus & Dundee 1 7 Perth & Kinross 9 9 Central 1 3} 1.6 Clyde 14 28 0.4 Ayrshire 6 8 2225 Dumfries & Galloway 7 9+ - Lothian 6 15 Borders 3 4 LS, The usual poor success is suggested by breeding returns. Autumn: largest numbers in Forth with numbers generally smaller and later in SW with 108 Lunan Bay A&D 20 Aug; 60 off Torry Bay F 26 Aug; 230 Silverknowes & 212 Musselburgh L from 3 to 5 Sep; 375 Kinneil Cent 9 Sep, with max 400 there 14 Oct; 212 Loch Leven P&K 27 Oct, the top inland site; 26 Stevenson Point Ayr 29 Nov and 165 L.Ryan D&G 17 Nov. Red-necked Grebe John Busby Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena Fewer than 1989, including the Loth stronghold where only max of 8 at Gullane during Jan and max 18 Gosfordin Apr. Only a few singles reported elsewhere. Last Gosford 5 May, latest Ardivachar Point OH 21 May. Scottish Bird Report 1990 Pair summered Borders, present 2 Apr-26 May, probably still present to Jul, nest built but no suggestion of eggs. First returned to the main Scottish resort at Gosford L 16 Jul, with peak of 55 there in early Aug. Apart from 4 Lower Largo F on 11 Nov only singles elsewhere from Ork to Fife in east and Bute to D&G in west. Slavonian Grebe Podiceps auritus Poor numbers this year. Peak of 28 Gosford L in Jan was low for that site; | 11 Burghead M&N 29 Jan; 25 L.Indaal, Islay Arg | 16Feb; 20L. of Harray Ork 14 Feb; 13 Jemimaville I&R 13 Mar; 20 Sound of Gigha Arg 16 Mar. : Breeding: No data from main range in Inv &Ross. | M&N slow increase with llprs + 2 singles but | success poor; P&K 2 singles only. . 24 Sound of Gigha Arg 24 Sep; 6 Loch Leven P&K 8 Oct; 26 Loch of Harray Ork 30 Oct; max 37 at Gosford Bay Lin Nov; 10 Tresta Voe Shet 21 Nov; | 11 Burghead M&N & 13 Largo F 16 Dec; max 11 Musselburgh L & 14 Luce Bay D&G in Dec. Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis No winter count from main centre at L.Ryan D&G. Otherwise only three reports - singles Edeline Arg 20 Feb, Loirston L. NE 20 May and Vane Farm. L.Leven P&K 3 Jun. Breeding: data only from L.Kinnordy A&D where birds present 17 Mar with 4 prs breeding, rearing 7-10 young. 1 juv nearby Forfar L A&D 2 Sep. | 1-3 birds Vane Farm, Loch Leven P&K Sep-Oct; |). 1 Gosford L 26 Oct; 1 L.Druidibeg OH 11 Nov; |) | max 7 L.Ryan D&G 27 Nov; 1 Tayport F 28 Nov; |) | 1 Saltburn I&R 15-17 Dec. *Black-browed Albatross Diomedea melanophris. | | After being absent since 1987 the Hermaness Shet| | bird was present from 27 Mar-7 Apr and on 26 & f 31 May and on 10 Jun. Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis | \ Movements: 1,000 Easter Rova Head Shet 3 Jan; | Df 2,800/hr Papa Westray Ork 26 Jan; 2,000N/hr! | Arbroath A&D 21 Apr. | Breeding: amixed season with some recovery inN,| Isles but generally poor season with perhaps some) jj declines on E coast. » | R.D.Murray [Ed] 7 Colony AONs MBS 1989 1990 % Change 1989 1990 | Shet Noss 586 498 = SOM (O28 039 Hermaness 310 298 = 329 0.33 0.35 Eshaness DAD Tee Shao 4S 0.43 0.30 Sumburgh D4 169h- 9) +213:0 0.46 0.30 Troswick 857 860 + 0.4 0.46 0.44 _ Fair Is sample 0.27 - Ork Hoy 113 0.46 Mainland $42 0.42 Papa Westray 94 0.40 Rousay 68 0.64 NE St Cyrus 214 145 322 - Bute Arran 205 190 - 7.0 ’ Is of May 212 198 - 7.0 ~ Loth inland 43 39 - 93 coastal S200) FD - 7.9 ‘BordSt.Abb’s 307 292 - 49 0.18 0.14 Widespread large-scale movement on 15-18 Aug: 86S (90mins) Ayr Ayr 15 Aug; 500E/hr St.John’s - Point Caith 16 Aug; 62 Buckie & 69 Lossiemouth - NE (15 min counts) 16 Aug; 160N Mull of Kintyre _ Arg 17 Aug; 52S/hr Drimsdale OH 18 Aug; then 5,100 Peterhead NE & 1,600N (2 hrs) Arbroath . A&D 18 Aug. _ 2,000/hr Brough of Birsay Ork on 4 Sep; 1,000S _ Corsewall Point D&G 6 Sep. _ *Cory’s Shearwater Calonectris diomedea _ Arecords: 1 Girdleness NE 24 Jul; 1 Cramond Is. L _ 11 Aug; 1N Newtonhill NE 26 Aug & 1 Brough of -Birsay Ork 14 Sep. ' *Great Sheawater Puffinus gravis 1 NW Foula Shet 22 Aug. | Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus | Only 1 in spring - 1N Aird an Runair OH 20 May. ' Poor autumn passage, 1 Jul OH - 4 Nov NE, _ peaking late Aug-late Sep. _ Best counts: 17 North Ronaldsay Ork on 11 Aug; 18 Fraserburgh NE on 2 Sep; 9S (90 mins) past Rubha Ardvule OH 3 Sep; 9N Is. of May 7 Sep; 32 N.Ronaldsay on 5 Sep; 27N (2hrs) Girdleness NE 24 Sep; 25 N.Ronaldsay 2 Oct. | Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus 100S/hr Carradale Pt 31 May, 1,500 Machrihanish 2 Jun, an exceptional 8,000 off Ru Stafnish 20 Jun and 1,500 Garvellach Is 29 Jun. No significant counts elsewhere. Breeding: limited data includes: Shet 14 young in 18 burrows monitored at Foula; Ork min 20 calling colony in Hoy; I&R 3-400 prs Eigg from 14 Mar. Poor autumn with highest counts in west: 3,000+ Kildonan Point I&R 17 Jul; 1,460W Butt of Lewis OH 31 Jul; 1,020 (90mins) Village Bay, St.Kilda OH 10 Aug; 580S Uisaed Point Arg 15 Aug; 3,000S/hr Troon Ayr 3 Sep with 3,000 there 6 Sep; 1,000S Corsewall Point D&G 6 Sep. In east the highest counts were 129N(2.5hrs) Girdleness NE 13 Jul & 217N Barns Ness L 18 Aug. 6 Anstruther F 9 Dec were late. *Mediterranean Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus 11 reports: 1SE Butt of Lewis OH 29 Jul; 1 Handa Suth 16 Aug; 1N Troon Ayr 19 Aug with 3S on 5 Sep, 2 on 6 Sep and 2S on 18 Sep; 1 Corriecravie, Arran Bute 14 Oct was late. *Little Shearwater Puffinus assimilis 1 Butt of Lewis OH 29 Jul; 1 found dead Musselburgh L 9 Dec resembled P.a.baroli. Storm Petrel Hydrobates pelagicus 1 freshly dead Dores I& R 6 Jan was the only winter record. Present St.Kilda OH from late Apr but no other reports until 1 Aird an Runair OH 19 May. No other spring records of note. Breeding: several hundred Mousa Shet Jul-Sep, 24 monitored nests hatched 22 chicks, 13 still present end Sep assumed to have fledged mid-Oct; 50 churring Muckle Green Holm Ork 23 Jul. Major early season wreck: gales 17 Aug brought 50 between Stromness-Graemsay Ork, 200 Dunnet Bay Caith, 92 Stornoway OH & 1,500 Handa Suth. The next day saw 110W/20E Fraserburgh NE. Gales on 19 Sep produced 100+ Scalloway Harbour Shet, 19 Hoy Sound and several inland on , First bird off Hirta, St Kilda OH 5 Feb was early. it, 1S Macharioch Arg 5 Mar & 2S Ru Stafnish Arg 16 Mar; 1 dead, oiled, Dunnet Bay Caith 24 Mar. 4) | Heavy passage mainly in west: OH 1,656S (2 hrs) : Drimsdale 24 Apr, 1,640 Aird an Runair 16 May; _1,500S (90 mins) Rubha Ardvule 22 May; Arg Ork but only small numbers in OHeb. 150 still Scalloway 20 Sep but 20W Sumburgh, 20 Garths ~ Ness, 9 Scatness, all Shet the same day. Also 101N/30S Peterhead NE 22 Sep. Elsewhere: 26 Dougrie, Arran Bute 13 Jul; 70+ Ballantrae Ayr 18 Jul; 2837NW & 865SE off Butt ah i Se ST AR AOR LOGS 1 ND NS A OT | i | i | 8 of Lewis OH 29 Jul; 18 tape-lured Eyemouth B on 18 Aug; 80 Fair Is 31 Aug. Last birds mid-Nov - 1 on board ship Stornoway- Ullapool 13 Nov; 1 exhausted at army camp on Hirta, St.Kilda OH 15 Nov; 1 Kessock I&R and 1 Ayr 19 Nov, the latter bird dying. Leach’s Petrel Oceanodroma leuchora First St.Kilda OH by late Apr,. Breeding: no data. Birds ringed/tape-lured Jul-Aug: Shet 5 birds Noss and Foula; Fair Is 2 birds; Ork 14 N. Ronaldsay; Suth 3 Leac Buidhe; Is of May 1 bird. Passage: Small numbers N.& W. Isles from late Jun to mid-Sept, mainly 1-3 birds, but 4 Dunnet Bay Caith 16 Aug. Main movements Sept: 11S (3hrs) Rubha Ardvule OH 2 Sept with 27S (90mins) there 3 Sep; 2N/3S Troon Ayr 6 Sep; 6 (Shrs) Corsewall Pt D&G 8 Sep. Gales on 9 Sep produced peak autumn movements: Shet 3; Ork 38, inc 32 Hoy Sound; Arg 2 Mull, 80S Uisaed Point, 3 Machrihanish; Bute 2; Ayr 18, including 14S (3hrs) Turnberry; D&G 32 in 7 hrs Corsewall Point. Odd birds were seen in area over next 2-3 days. Late birds Yell Shet 17 Oct; 1 Dunnet Bay 1 Nov; 1 Corsewall Point 18 Nov; 1 Chanonry Point I&R 25 Nov. Gannet Sula bassana 1,000 Bass Rock L 14 Jan was only significant winter count. 2,100/hr Eyemouth B and 432N/3hrs Rubha Ardvule OH 6 May only large spring counts. Breeding: c400 AONs Flannan Is OH; no birds ashore Shiant Is OH. Gannet A.Dowell Scottish Bird Report 1990 Colony AONs MBS 1989 1990 % Chan 1989 1990 Shet Noss + 1.7 0.71 0.70 Hermaness + 8.0 0.79 0.62 I Sumburgh 54 169 +213.0 046 030 Ff Fair Is census 676 654 =7 213.0 0.78 0.68 | NE Troup Head 38 0.37. Ft Autumn movements: 2,500 Handa Suth 16 Aug; | 649S (90mins) past Mull of Kintyre Arg 18 Aug; | 2,547S (90mins) Rubha Ardvule OHeb 21 Aug; 1,129E (75 mins) St.John’s Point Caith 6 Sep; | 3,000 (75mins) St.John’s Point , 1,170N Peterhead NE & 3,100N/hr St.Abb’s B on 22 Sep. Cormorant Phalocrocorax carbo Only notable counts Jan-Apr: 412 on Inner Clyde © Estuary Cly 14 Jan; 160 L. Leven P&K 8 Mar. Tree roosts: 79 Perth P&K in Jan & 44 Strathclyde | Park Cly 5 Jan with 50 there in Mar. Breeding: I&R 5Oprs Eigg, decline continues; D&G 225 nests Castle Loch, 23 Mochrum Loch. | Colony AONs MBS 1989 _ 1990 % Change 1989 1990 - Shetland census 377 319 - 15.4 2.80 2.60 OrkBoray Helm c78 .134 + 71.8 Taing Skerry c62 0 -100.0 Arg McCormaigI. 53 48 - 94 Lothian 4 sites 387 427 + 10.3 320 Browhouses D&G 26 Aug; 394 Inner Clyde in Sep; c450 Outer Forth area F 23 Sep -18 Nov; | 276 Yell Sound Shet on 17 Oct ; 256 Skinflats | Cent 4 Nov; 380 Fraseburgh to Rosehearty NE on} 21 Nov. Inland: 95 L.of Strathbeg NE Sep; 42) Endrick Mouth Cly 23 Sep; 350 L.Leven P&K 28 Sep; 134 Perth tree roost 31 Dec. | ae Shag Phalocrocorax aristotelis i, 1 inland at Shawlands, Glasgow Cly 21 Jan. Sizeable flocks: 3,300N Peterhead NE 4 Jan; 1,610) roosting Portnockie M&N 8 Jan; 550 Port Askaig! : Islay Arg 15 Feb; 310 Tyninghame L on 20 Apr; — 400 Eyemouth B 27 Apr. Breeding: Mixed success in N and E with some small declines but large increases Arg. , Colony AONs MBS | 1989 1990 % Change 1989 1990) | Shet 6 sites 754 ie | Fair Is census 1,073 1.28 0.97 I | Is. of May census 1,7031,386 - 23.0 0.30. | Arg Tiree 100 127 + 27.0 ie | McCormaig Is 119 200 + 68.0 : | Loth 7 sites Bord St.Abb’s 1,135 1,169 +. 3.0 } 366 338. - 8.0 0.76% | =e R.D.Murray [Ed] Autumn: 700 Middle Skerries, Hoy Ork & record . 2,650 Anstruther F 10 Oct; 1,589 Helmsdale- - Lothbeg Suth, 1,310 ‘Bluemill triangle’ Shet on 30 Oct; c800 roost Portnockie 28 Nov; 2,000 Elie - F 15 Dec. *Bittern Botaurus stellaris 1 Bogton Ayr from 1989 to 11 Feb. - 1 Craigallion L. Cly 17 & 25 Feb, poss same bird as - Carbeth L. Cly in Dec 1989; 1 Drumglass, L.Ken D&G 20 Mar; 1 Endrick Mouth Cly 6 Jun, poss same bird R.Endrick, Balfron Cly 31 Aug. 1 Duddingston L 3 Jan accepted as ‘Bittern sp.”. [1989] 1 Gladhouse L 19 Sep has been withdrawn, later reports at this site remain. - *Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax ‘ Reports probably involve wandering Edinburgh Zoo L birds of the American race N.n.hoactii.. _ 1 Nydie Mill F in Jun; ad R. Almond L on 3 Sep and 1 juv Ceres F 3-13 Oct. _ No 1990 data on Edinburgh Zoo colony. _ [1989] 28-29 ads, 7 juvs, 6 nests Edinburgh Zoo: 11 unringed birds (Qads, 2juvs) noted. *Little Egret Egretta garzetta | 2 birds: 1 ad Ulva Lagoons Arg 28 May. 1 L. of Banks Ork 14 Jun to end Jul, then same at _L. of Hundland from 9 Aug-4 Sep. *Great White Heron Egretta alba Probably 2 birds: I&R Maryburgh, Cromaty Firth on 4 Jun. Another (ringed on right leg) L. Droma 3 Jun, probably same bird Conan Is. 4 Jun. Grey Heron Ardea cinerea High counts inc: 30 Roseneath Cly & 20 Lowood B 14 Jan; 43 BSC Hunterston-Fairlie Ayr 28 Jan; 63 Lochead Arg 16 Feb. _ Breeding: Arg big decline Mull (only 14 sites); | Heronries - Bute _ Ayr & Loth small declines; Bord 2 colonies show increase, 2 were decrease, 1 stable & 7 new sites; Cly 27% increase Clyde. colonies nests Orkney 2 2 Outer Hebrides 4 71 | Caithness 2 10+ Sutherland 2 2+ Moray & Nairn 2 23 _ Perth & Kinross ?) 7 _ Argyll 16 56 1 11 9 Heronries colonies nests Clyde 14 168 Ayrshire 12 84 Lothian 7 41 Borders 12 a Dumfries & Galloway 2 13 Autumn: 36 BSC Hunterston Ayr 2 Sep; 57 Mon- trose Basin A&D 4 Sep; 29 Philiphaugh B 20 Sep; 16 Fair Is 22 Sep; 42 Finlaystone Point Cly 23 Sep; 33 Eden Estuary F 30 Sep; 29 at Vane Farm P&K 4 Nov; 23 Eilan Tioram I&R 8 Nov; 24 Gladhouse Res. L 17 Nov. *Black Stork Ciconia nigra 2 birds: 1 Bea Loch, Sanday Ork 23 to 24 Jun; 1 Caerlaverock D&G 24-25 Jun. *Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia Ad Aberlady Bay L 15 May. *Chilean Flamingo Phoenicopterus chilensis All escapes: 2 Forfar L. A&D 3 Jul. A bird flying S- off Corsewall Point D&G was not specifically identified. Mute Swan Cygnus olor Winter-spring peaks include 254 L.Bee OH 13 Jan; 98 Castle Loch D&G in Jan; 602 Loch of Harray Ork in Feb; 174 Loch of Skene NE in Feb; 95 Montrose Basin A&D 18 Mar; 87 non-breeders Musselburgh L 13 May. Breeding: BTO/WWT National Census. Territorial Pairs Non-breeders count estimate count estimate Total Shetland 0 - 1 - 1 Orkney 179 - 454 - 812 Outer Hebrides - 130 - - 450 710 Caithness 32 3 92 7 169 Sutherland 4 D 3 4 19 Inverness &Ross 80 4 192 14 374 NE Scotland - 103 =a 156 362 Moray & Nairn 19 - 17 20 is) Angus & Dundee 28 - 104 - 160 Perth & Kinross 45 - 133 - 223 Fife 23 - 64 - 110 Central 15 3 70 6 112 Argyll 40 20 78 30 22 Clyde 84 3 182 10 366 Ayrshire 39 - 83 - 161 Dumf & Galloway 85 9 226 - 396 Lothian 56 - 175 - 287 Borders 107 9 354 20 606 Totals 836 277 D236 wal liens s179 Anestimated total of 1,113 pairs and 2,953 non-breeders, in all 5,179 birds. AN a ToS SAS OR I LS " 10 Scottish Bird Report 1990 No coverage in NE Scotland and only Lewis & Harris in the OHeb, figures for these areas are estimates based on 1983 census. All figures are provisional (see A. Brown in prep). Moult flocks: 800 L. of Harray & 111 L. of Sten- ness Ork in Sep; 62 L. Scarmclate Caith 21 Jun; 191 L-of Strathbeg NE 14 Aug; 236 L.Leven P&K7 Aug; 156 Montrose Basin A&D in Jun; 74 Loch a Phuill, Tiree Arg 26 Jul; 118 on Clyde Estuary 15 Jun and 82 Hogganfield L. Cly 8 Jul; 66 Ayr Ayr 16 Aug; 46 Linlithgow L. L Jul-Aug. Autumn: 140 L.Leven and 128 Tweed Haugh B on 16 Sep; 1,205 L.of Harray in Oct; 115 L.Scarmclate 28 Oct; 131 Lindores L. F 6 Nov; 275 L. of Skene NE in mid-Nov; 265 Loch Eye I&R 23 Nov; 1,201 Loch of Harray in Dec. Bewick’s Swan Cygnus. columbianus c45 birds during winter/spring. 11 Caerlaverock D&G & 10 L.Leven P& K during Jan; 13 L.Gelly F 28 Jan were the only substantial numbers. 1-4 birds wintered Arg, P&K Clyde, Bord. Last 4 Easter Rhynd P&K 29 Mar. Above average numbers in autumn/winter with first 1 Sandwick Ork 11-19 Oct; 4L. Leven 14 Oct & 2 Caerlaverock 18 Oct, peak there 11 on 22 Oct. Reasonable influx end-Oct with 15 Tyninghame L 25 Oct; 4 NE Scot, 4 A&D, 9 Arg, 2 P&K, 5 Ayr, 4 D&G and 2 Bord by 4 Nov. Peak 50 Loch Leven on 4 Nov and scattered parties of 2-9 birds in NE Scot, Clyde, Loth, Bord during Nov. Perhaps five parties of 1-2 birds during Dec with 8 L. of Strathbeg NE 6 to 13 Dec and lowish max of 12 Caerlaverock on 31 Dec. Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus 190 L.of Sabiston Ork 1 Jan; 406 Loch of Skene NE 14 Jan; 518 L.of Harray Ork 21 Jan; 232 in Uists OH 4-5 Feb; 140 Insh Marshes I&R 9 Feb; 180 Crailing B 18 Feb; 136 Caerlaverock D&G in Feb; 152 L.of Strathbeg NE 11 Mar; 151 Thumster Caith 25 Mar. A spring movement OHeb with a minimum of 1,403 birds N between 20 Mar-27 Apr, peaking at 604N S.Uist on 26 Mar. Breeding: Ork pr built nest, no eggs; OHeb 1 pr; Cly 2 feral pairs + wild pair nested Endrick Mouth, hatched 3 young, fledged 1. Summering birds: Shet (5), Ork (9), OHeb (20), Caith (5), 1-2 birds Arg, Ayr, D&G, Loth, Bord. First 3 Tain T&R 20 Sep; 4 Caerlaverock D&G 21 Sept; 3 L.of Spiggie Shet 22 Sept. Arrival dates in N&W were 2-3 days earlier than S&E: Ayr on 4 Oct; Fair Is 5 Oct; P&K, Loth 7 Oct; Bord 10 Oct. Winter numbers generally lower 90/91 with peaks — of 248 Sandwick Ork 17 Oct; 213 in survey Shet 4 Nov; 152 Inchinnan Cly 11 Nov; 363 L. of Skene NE 19 Nov; 1,115 L. Eye I&R 23 Nov; 927 L.of | Harray Ork 27 Nov; and 162 Caerlaverock D&G ~ during Dec. *Black Swan Cygnus atratus 1 R. Tweed Coldstream- Berwick B all year. Bean Goose Anser fabalis Central Scotland flock: max 120 Garbethill Muir | Cly 14 Jan & 120 Hillend Farm, Slamannan Cent 11 Feb. The last 9 were at Fannyside L. Cly 26 Feb. | First 2 returned to Fannyside Loch 13 Sep, rising to 142 there 27 Oct. Numbers were then stable into | Dec with maximum of 147 Hillend Farm on 8 Dec | & 147 Fannyside L. 16 Dec. No birds seen at alternate site on Carron Valley Res. Cent. Only 3 reports D&G - 1 L.Ken & 1 Caerlaverock and 5 Black Water of Dee, 27Jan-23 Mar. Singles P&K, Fife, Ork (2), NE (2) into Apr and) May with last 1 Stronsay Ork 24 May. Singles at Whiteadder Res L 19 Sept & 1 Savoch’ NE 22 Sep into Nov. 11 Skaill Caith 13 Oct) 1 shot Whitton L. B 29 Oct; 3 Kintore & 1 Longsidel_ NE 5 Dec; 4 Glenochar D&G 9 Dec and 3 Milton Brodie M&N 27 Dec. Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus Winter peaks includes record 12,965 West Water BH 14 Jan; 5,196 Carse of Stirling Cent 27 Jan i rae 5,000 Annan Valley D&G in Feb. WWT Count 31 Mar-1 Apr: sites with 2,000+ birds { | Meikle L./Ythan NE 30,300 : L.of Strathbeg NE 17,100 | West Water R. B 11,000 Banfoot-Dupplin F 10,250 Wigtown Bay D&G 9,000 Carsebeck P&K 7,000 Findhorn Bay M&N 276 Gladhouse Res L 5,000 Inverness/Beauly I&R 3,260 { Cameron Res F 3,000 Fala Flow L 2,950 Montrose basin A&D 2,407 L.Eye/Cromarty I&R 2,060 R.D.Murray [Ed] A total of 122,000 Pink-feet were censused - 67% of the previous Nov Count. Spring passage peaks: See table but also 18,057 at L. of Strathbeg NE in Mar; 6,007 Wigton Bay D&G 11 Mar; 9,550 Strathallan P&K in Apr; 5,000 Gladhouse L Mar-Apr; and 5,000 Bowerhouse B 17 Apr. Last 38 Strathallan & 1 Dowlaw B 19 May. Jun-Aug records include Caith (1), A&D (1); P&K (6), Cent (3), Bord (8). - First 20 West Water 11 Sep; 4 Caerlaverock D&G 12 Sep and 1+ Kinnordy A&D 13 Sep. A major influx occurred 19-23 Sep, peaking in early Oct but passing through quickly due to clean and early harvest: 25,000 West Water 22 Sep; 15,950 Strathallan 25 Sep; 16,775 Hule Moss B on 30 Sep; 7,300 Kinmount D&G in Oct; 42,000 Strathearn 7 Oct; 8,000 Cameron Res. F 12 Oct; 16,000 L.Leven P&K 21 Oct and 17,500 Aberlady L 21 Oct; 20,000 Montrose Basin A&D 30 Oct and arecord 37,100 L.of Strathbeg in Nov. White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons Greenland White-front A.aflavirostris 600 Stranraer D&G Jan to Mar; 150 Oust Caith on 7 Jan; 300 Endrick Mouth Cly 14 Jan; 920 at Machrinhanish Arg 18 Jan; 220 Ken/Dee D&G 27 Jan; 166 at 6 sites Uists & Benbecula OH in Feb; 224 Danna-Ulva-Keills Arg 8 Feb; 176 L.Calder - Caith 11 Feb; 987 Tiree and 914 Tayinloan & Rhunahaorine Arg 30 Mar; 300+ Endrick Mouth 31 Mar; 6,714 Islay Arg 1-2 Apr; c200 Colonsay & Oransay Arg in Apr; 73 The Loons Ork 17 Apr. Last 12 L.Gorm, Islay Arg 7 May. First 13 Islay 17 Sep with main arival mid-Oct. Passage was exceptionally poor in Uists OH, with only 1 record. Peaks of main flocks: 160 L.of Mey Caith 31 Oct; 96 at 3 sites Uists & Benbecula in Nov; 200 Ken/ Dee 18 Nov. Argyll winter census: 12,211 birds - 813 Laggan/ Machrihanish, 762 Tayinloan & Rhunahaorine and 792 Coll on 30 Nov; 8,297 birds Islay 1-2 Dec; 179 Colonsay & Oronsay, 245 Danna/Ulva/Keills, 68 Erisky and 113 Lismore on 1 Dec; 942 Tiree Arg 2 Dec. 306 Mains of Duchrae D&G 3 Dec; 184 L.Heilen Caith 4 Dec; 350 Endrick Mouth Cly on 7 Dec; 500 Stranraer D&G in early winter dropping to 366 there on 19 Dec. 11 Eurasian White-front A.a.albifrons 1 Loch of Spiggie Shet 2 Jan-4 Mar; 1 Unst Shet 25 Feb-15 Apr; 2 Savoch NE 18 Feb; 1 Slains & 1 Ythan NE 14 Apr; 1 Collieston/Cruden Bay NE 21 Apr. 2 ferals Duddingston L 12 Jul & 27 Sep; 1 Sandwick Ork 2 Nov. *Lesser White-fronted Goose Anser erythropus 1 ad, probably feral, with Canadas at Kinmount D&G in Sep. [1989] 1 ad Menmuir A&D at least from 13-14 Dec. Greylag Goose Anser anser Winter peaks include: 2,000 St.Ola Ork 2 Jan; 1,500 Stranraer D&G 12 Jan; 1,000 Balmore Haughs Cly 28 Jan; 1,388 Uists & Benbecula OH 3-4 Feb; 7,307 L. Skene & 3,350 L.of Strathbeg NE in Feb; 5,040 Strathearn P& K 3 Mar; 800 Hirsel & 1,300 Crailing B 11 Mar; 7,500 Findhorn Bay & 3,000 L.Spynie M&N on 14 Apr; 1,145 L.Scarmclate Caith 15 Apr. WWT Count 31 Mar-1 Apr: sites with 1,000+ birds Haddo NE 4,700 Findhorn Bay M&N 4,032 Caithness Caith 2,958 Orkney Mainland Ork 2,676 Kilconquhar L. F 2,500 Stranraer L. D&G 2,150 L.Spynic M&N 1,962 L.Ken D&G 1,900 Inverness/Beauly I&R 1,880 Drummond Pond P&K 1,800 L.of Strathbeg NE 1,750 L.Eye/Cromarty I&R 1,012 Dinnet L. NE 1,000 Breeding: Native birds - O Heb 29 nests L.Druidibeg - mean brood size 4.5 with 8 broods on L.a’Chnoic Bhuidhe. Uists & Benbecula population was 1,999-2,014 on 25-26 Aug; Caith 13 prs at 4 sites, 10 prs producing min 45 young; Arg min 8prs Mull & 44 broods Coll. Feral breeders: Shet 7 prs with 27 young Unst; Ork 11 prs at 6 sites; Loth 17-18 prs at 3 sites; Bord first breeding, with 2 broods Baddinsgill Res.; D& G widespread with 500 moult flock Castle Loch on 3 Jul. Other feral birds may include 25 Cummingston M&N 16 Jun; 52 Hogganfield L. Cly on 23 Jun; 89 Threipmuir L 31 Jul; 60 L.Maberry Ayr 7 Aug; 100 Blairgowrie 23 Aug and 81 L.Leven P&K on 30 Aug. ST MR IS I VS ICED TSE ES 8S SIE SIU MISE DET SST NL OSD TP HEE EERE BT SEN 12 Scottish Bird Report 1990 9 Hule Moss B 11 Sep may be first genuine arrivals but main influx in late Sep-mid Oct with 570 Fair Is on 5 Oct; 3,000 Pitgaveney M&N on 6 Oct; 1,500 Poolhoy Caith 17 Oct; 6,100 L.Spynie M&N 20 Oct; 16,607 L.Eye I&R, 4,000 L.of Clunie & 2,000 Loch of the Lowes P&K 21 Oct; 3,500 Findhorn Bay M&N 25 Oct; 1,410 L.Clunie A&D on 30 Oct. Later peaks 1,000 Endrick Mouth Cly early Nov; 15,764 L.of Skene, 3,000 Kintore & 16,000 Dinnet Lochs NE on9 Nov; 2,360 Kilconquhar L. F5 Nov; 2,032 Tay/Tummel P&K 11 Nov; 3,500 Bower Caith 17 Nov; 4,000 Feran 21 Nov & 5,000 Easter Lovat I&R 23 Nov; 1,198 Tiree Arg 2 Dec; 1,840 Stranraer D&G 19 Dec. *Bar-headed Goose Anser indicus 1 Strand Shet 8-10 May could have come from the Swedish feral population. Pr with br3 Castle L. Mochram D&G 3 Jul were ferals. Snow Goose Anser caerulescens Summary: J FMA M J J A .S ON D Caith l M&N Dias 1 1 NE|Scotl” Gle> 3 2b 2 Dine Die OD A&D Dewi Fife ibe gel 1 I&R 1 5 P&KS os 25) ed alae al 1Ge Bee 2 Argyll 1 ios! D&G 1 Lothian 1 1 Borders 1 Usual widespread singles but 2 birds Coltfield M&N 24 Feb; 2 Tibbermore P&K on7-14 Oct; 2 Dinnet L NE 22-23 Oct & 13 Nov; 2 Montrose Basin A& D 30 Oct; 2 L.of Strathbeg NE early Dec. Arg breeding population on Isle of Mull numbered 26 adults and 14 young on 2 Jul were at Braechacha on Coll 30 Nov. Odd reports in the Inner Hebrides presumably refer to these birds. Canada Goose Branta canadensis 79 Kercock/Blairgowrie P&K 5 Jan, 48 Loch Monzievaird P& K 7 Jan and 70 Garvard, Colonsay Arg 28 Mar were only winter counts of note. Breeding: breeders or pairs at 17 lochs P&K, but no numbers; further releases Duddingston L where br3; single prs 2 sites Clyde; 3 br13 at L.Dornal Ayr. Moult migrants moving from mid-May, mainly in east with parties 20-40 birds, max 152 Tarradale I&R 3 Jun. Also 19N Uisaed Point Arg 22 Jun. 11 moulting Loch Spynie M&N Jul-Aug with 120 moulting Beauly FirthI&R on 1 Aug and 150 over Inverness I&R 14 Aug. Return passage: 100 Crieff P& K & 25 St.Abb’s B 15 Aug; 25 Kirkcaldy F 16 Sep and 31 Haddo NE 30 Aug-5 Sep. South-west population includes 398 Annan Valley D&G 16 Sep and 741 Castle L, Lochmaben D&G on 16 Dec. Barnacle Goose A.Dowell Cake nee PZ 4 Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis Solway flock D&G max 11,700 wintered to Mar, dropping to 8,500 on 10 Apr but only 11 on 29 Apr.| 2-3 summered Solway. to 9 Oct, with max 12,000 birds. East coast arrival noted but lower than 1989 with first 160W Hound Pt L 26 Sep then flocks 2-300 noted Fair Is, NE, A&D, Fife, Loth, Bord to 16 Oct) 249 SW Eddleston B 10 Oct & 454 Tyninghame L 12 Oct. First returns - 4 on 25 Sep with main arrival 26 Sep! ~ Islay flock Arg max 22,113 on 1-2 Apr. | Mid-Apr departure; last 19 L-Gruinart 17 May. Arrival: 20 L.Gruinart 14 Sep, then early Oct influ: with 11,396 on 16 Oct. 23.7% young with a ne brood size of 2.4. Complete island count gav record total 30,360 on 1-2 Dec. Elsewhere Ork 1,170 South Walls 30 Jan wit! 1,000 there 9&11 Nov; 800 Switha on 5 Apr wit 700 there 25 Nov; OHeb 1,586 North Uist censt 3 Feb and 647 Baleshare, North Uist 26 Oct. | Arg 330 Danna/Ulva/Keills 30 Mar with 250 ther 1 Dec, 581 on Tiree 30 Mar with 716 there 2 De| 229 Coll 30 Nov. | | \ ees R.D.Murray [Ed] 13 Brent Goose Branta bernicla 20 Balmedie NE 1 Jan only winter report of note. Sizeable passage on west coast: Arg 26-29 Apr with 204 Loch Indaal, Islay, 23 L.Spelvie, Mull, 35 L.Long and 51 Scalastle Bay, Mull; also on OHeb over same period with 47 Peninerine, S.UVist, 45 Brackley and 36 N.Bornish, S.Uist on 5 May. - Fewer birds: 56S Ardivachar Point OH on 19 Sep; 18 Cairnryan D&G 21 Sep; 65 L.Gruinart, Islay Arg 29 Sep; 21 Castle Stewart I&R 30 Sep-1 Oct; 25 Dalgety Bay F 7 Oct; 11N/2S St Abb’s Head B & 18N Burnmouth B 21 Oct; 23 L. of Strathbeg NE 1-5 Nov. *Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea Ad $ Stronsay Ork 5 Aug was the only report. Most records of this species are assumed to be feral birds from the Netherlands. _ Shelduck Tadorna tadorna Winter peaks inc. 1,360 Caerlaverock D&G in Jan; 657 Skinflats Cent 12 Jan; 245 Dornoch Suth & 428 Montrose Basin A&D 13 Jan; 426 W.Howcreek D&G 14 Jan; 744 Eden Estuary F 6 Feb; 212 Ardmore Cly 11 Feb; 239 Priestside D&G 11 Mar; 212 L.Gruinart, Islay Arg Mar; 527 Southerness- Gretna D&G 29 Apr. 270 Tyninghame L in Jun. Breeding: Shet 2 prs produced 2br10; OHeb 3 prs Lewis & Harris; Suth 21br112 at L.Fleet was down on 1989; Clyde 31 prs Clyde estuary & 10-23 prs southern L.Lomond; Bute 27 prs reared 74 juvs Arran; Is.of May 7 prs; Ayr 12 prs_ Fairlie/ Hunterston & 22 prs Irvine/Garnock estuary; D&G 852 ads+27 young Southerness/Gretna on 15 Jul; Bord inland pr with br7 Whitton L. was first breeding record for Roxburghshire. Upper Forth moult flock: max 3,482 Grangemouth Cent 18 Aug. Also 1,572 Inner Solway D&G in Oct; 1,600 Kineil Cent 9 Dec and 327 Montrose Basin A&D 30 Dec. Mandarin Aix galericulata Tay population at Perth P&K continues steady decline with 5 birds on 2 Jan, 2 on 28 Jan then none until 2 on 16 Sep & 16 Dec. Also 1 Greenloaning on R.Allan 18 May & 1 R.Almond P&K 2 Dec. Bord no information on Eye Water population but pr Tweed at Ladykirk in Apr and singles Duns Castle L. Oct-Nov. Elsewhere: L.of Kinnordy A&D 14 Jan; 3 Bridge of Alvah NE 31 Mar-30 Apr; 1 Little-over-the Water Ork on 25 Apr; pr Loch VaaI&R on 6 May; 2 Deveron NE 2 May; 1 Shapinsay Ork 20-21 May; 2 long-stayers St. John's Pool Caith from 31 May to 16 Aug; 1 Old Deer NE 23 Dec; 1 Water of Leith L 23 Dec. Wigeon Anas penelope Winter/Spring: Peak counts mainly Jan with huge 4,553 L.of Harray Ork, 1,700 Montrose Basin A&D, 1,500 L.Fleet Suth, 1,393 L.of Skene NE & 855 Tyninghame L. Most resorts show drop after Jan but max 1,038 Findhorn Bay M&N & 950 Lindores F in Feb before decline into Mar (in S & E) and Apr (in N). Passage in N& W Isles into late Apr & May. Breeding _ Sites Pairs Broods Shetland 2 2 + Orkney 1+ 1+ 1 Caithness 1 1 + Suth 1 1 0 M&N 4+ 7+ 4br10 NE Scot 1+ 1+ lbr 3 A&D 7 12+ 0 P&K 11 10+ lbr 8 O.Heb 1 0 0 Argyll 1 1 + Clyde 2 2 0 D&G 4 3 + Borders 6 4+ 0 Post-breeding dispersal & assemblies from late July but first passage mainly 19-26 Aug in Shet, Fair Is, OHeb, Ayr & Bord. Gradual increase in numbers to Oct peak (esp in Moray Firth) with 9,815 L.Eye I&R; 9,200 L.of Harray; 6,962 Cromarty Firth T&R; 5,470 Inverness I&R; 5,000 L.Fleet; 4,000 Montrose; 1,400 Caerlaverock D&G; 1,323 Tyninghame; 1,154 L.of Skene & 1,138 L.Of Strathbeg NE. Drop in numbers as passage migrants go through with Dec maxima of 3,655 L.of Harray; 2,200 L.of Skene; 1,350 Findhorn Bay; 1,100 L.Fleet; and 1,000 Bay of Work Ork. *American Wigeon Anas americana Perhaps 3 a" and 12 but some birds well travelled: 3 (pr+ Ist-we') Stenhouse Res F 1 Jan -19 Jan with o' on 27 Jan and|st-w & to 4 Feb; 1o seen 4 sites Loth on 3-27 Feb, 18 Mar, 24-27 Mar & 18 Apr; 1 Hirsel B 4-5 May; last 1o° Handa Suth 19 May. 14 1g returned to Stenhouse 12 Oct with pair there from 25 Nov to 19 Dec; 1 6 Gladhouse/Rosebury L 17 Oct - end year. Gadwall Anas strepera Regular wintering population mainly in E_ with max 10 L.of Harray Ork; 4-10 L.of Kinnordy A&D; c13 at 3 sites Fife & cll at 4 sites Loth; compared with W coast where cl0 birds from OHeb to D&G; c11 birds Clyde. Small-scale movements mainly late Mar to May in S, May to early Jun in N. Breeding: mainly in E. Ork c2-3 prs N.Ronaldsay with 1 young on 24 Jul A&D 6-7 prs L.of Kinnordy,c19 young on 27 May; Fife 38 young at 2 sites; P&K 6+ young L.Leven 13 Jun; Cly 3prs Baron’s Haugh, reared 14 young. Single pairs summered Shet, NE, Loth, Arg, Ayr, D&G with no evidence of breeding. Autumn peak again in E with 44 L.of Kinnordy on 29 Aug; 258 L.Leven 3 Oct; 40 Kinnordy 21 Oct; 88 Kilnconquhar L. F 22 Oct; 185 L.Leven 4 Nov; 48+ Stevenson Res.F 11 Nov. Elsewhere only odd birds, mainly mid-Sep. Fewer winter reports in Dec than in 1989/90: 2 Arg, 3 Ayr, 2 D&G, 2 Fife, 1 Bord. Teal D.G.Mitchell = WE: 06 2S Z < megs —— ae noes ap ero ie ~ Teal Anas crecca Peak counts generally Jan with rapid drop into Feb, numbers strong in S but weak in N. Jan peaks: 180 L.Fleet Suth; 139 Don Estuary NE; 167 Kinnordy A&D; 348 L.Freuchie and 359 Carsebeck P&K; 800 Kinneil & 474 Bandeath Cent; 427 Baron’s Haugh & 380 Endrick Mouth Cly; 817 Bogside Ayr; 326 Caerlaverock D&G; 350 Aberlady & 231 Threipmuir L; 320 Watch Water B. Mar peaks 300 L.Spynie M&N; 200 L.of Strathbeg NE; 130 Eden Estuary F; 300 nr Perth P&K. Scottish Bird Report 1990 Breeding: generally poorly reported, broods seen but often uncounted. Sites Pairs Broods Br/Young Shetland 5 ? ny Orkney 4+ ? ? Caithness 2 3 3 3br22 M&N 2 3+ 1 br 1 NE Scot 7 7+ 7 ? A&D 5+ 3 1-2 Dre O.Heb 6 6 1 br 6 Argyll 1 8 8 v Clyde 4 4 3 3br15 Ayrshire 9 13 3 br11 D&G 10 10+ ? Central 3 6 0 Lothian i 7 6 3br19 Borders 13 18 6 2br10 First autumn peak was mid-late Aug, presumably local post-breeding dispersal: 130 Hule Moss B on 13 Aug; 150 L.Ken D&G & 95 Baron’s Haugh Cly on 27 Aug. Visible passage from end- Aug: first 2E St.John’s Pt Caith 27 Aug; 17N Eyemouth B 28 Aug; max 17 | Fair Is 31 Aug; 55 (SSW) Hound Pt L 2 Sep. Rapid build-up into Sep but max generally Oct with peaks of 882 L.of Skaill & 464 L.of Isbister Ork; 2,500 Ardmore & 1,259 Inverness I&R; 1,000 L.of Strathbeg NE; 476 Carsebeck & 3,614 L.Leven P&K; 1,450 Kinneil; 1,000 Endrick Mouth ; 430 L.Ken; & 690 Hule Moss. General drop into Nov/Dec but max 300 L.Spynie M&N & 525 Aberlady L in Nov; 550 EdenEstuary | & 740 Hule Moss in Dec. Green-winged Teal A.c.carolinensis Single males resembling the Nearctic race were |” seen Easter Ellister & Bridgend, Islay Arg from | 1989 to 10 Feb; Trondra Shet 12-17 Mar; & Scatness Shet 16 Dec into 1991. Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Highest winter numbers in S & E, very few in N & if W Isles. Peak counts usually Jan with 710 L.Fleet Suth; | 917 Loch of Skene and 754 L.of Strathbeg NE; 1,330 Montrose B. A&D; 1,085 Carsebeck P&K; 620 Ballo Res. F; 522 Blackness-Gullane L; 928 Tweed Haugh B. 735 Gartmore Cent peaked in | Feb. Numbers in NE were well down on previous years| (up to 66% down at some sites) and there was a distinct ‘clear-out’ 3,078 in Jan dropped to 1,574 in Feb. Bord after Feb frosts where! R.D.Murray [Ed] 15 Breeding Sites Broods Br+Young MBS Caithness 7 9 Sbr 28 5.6 NE Scot 4 4 v O.Heb ? 14 7) - Argyll 2 2 2br 20 n.a. _ Clyde 32 93 79br448 5.6 Ayrshire 12 23 23br155 6.7 Central 1 28 28br 79 2.8 Fife ? 14 14br109 7.8 - Lothian 9 58 12br 64 58} Borders 32 48 48br 231 4.8 High losses noted Bord (MBS 6.0 in 1989) and Ayr but good year Cly (up from 4.8 MBS in 1989). Post-breeding assemblies include 396 Lochlea Ayr 5 Aug; 1,284 on 4 waters Clyde 12 Aug-2 Sep; 2,005 on 37 waters Bord 12-22 Aug; 609 Airthrey Cent 13 Aug; 347 Loch Gelly F 26 Aug; and 450 Martnaham L Ayr 1 Sep. Increase in counts as migrants arrive from mid-Sep with 500 Strathbeg NE; 467 Gartmore; 1,500 L.Leven P&K; 410 Gadloch Cly; 450 Gladhouse & 519 Tyninghame L; 1,108 Tweed Haugh & 850 ’ Hirsel B; & 637 Caerlaverock D&G. Numbers generally higher than previous winter in _ S&E but lower in N&W. _ Peaks: 1,927 L.Leven in Oct: 1,038 Strathbeg NE _ & 1,008 Tweed Haugh in Nov: 1,140 Carsebeck & 1,108 R.Tay near Perth P& K& 649 L.Fleet in Dec. Hybrid Mallard X Pintail & at Bogside Ayr from 8 Jan-1 Feb and $ Mallard X Pintail Caerlaverock D&G on 10 occasions in year. *Black Duck Anas rubripes 1 & L. of Spiggie Shet 4 Feb-29 Apr. | Pintail Anas acuta _ Main winter population in SW. 775 Caerlaverock, 289 Wigtown Bay & 48 L.Ken D&G, peaking in | Jan. Smaller resorts at MontroseBasin A&D, max - 120in Jan; 28 Sanday Ork 12 Jan; Eden Estuary F max 38 on 8 Feb; 76 Forth Estuary & 85 Skinflats | Cent early Feb. | Elsewhere mainly 1-2 birds but 12 L. of Skene NE 12-19 Jan. Numbers fall after Mar with widespread - movements of 1-2 birds into Apr and early May. | Breeding: Ork 7 prs The Loons, 2br8 seen, 1-2 prs another Mainland site, 6+ prs Stronsay; odd sum- mering birds elsewhere - no evidence of breeding. First passage birds: Clyde 2-3 Sep; Shet, Bord on 10 Sep; Loth 14 Sep; P&K 16 Sep; Fair Is 17 Sep. _ 1,400 Caerlaverock mid-Sep & 2,191 Inner Solway D&G in Oct indicates degree of concentration in as SW but numbers somewhat higher elsewhere than previous season with 92 Vane Farm P& K on 3 Oct; 200 Dornoch Suth 9 Oct; 56 Alturlie I&R 21 Oct; 30 Shelley Pt F 16 Nov; 320 at Carse Bay D&G 17 Nov; 323 Wigtown Bay 18 Nov; 38 L.Indaal, Islay Arg 22 Nov; 150 Nigg Bay I&R 29 Nov; 105 Dornoch & 649 Caerlaverock in Dec. *Garganey Anas querquedula Good influx in spring, c 83 birds; 1 autumn record. Apr Apr May May Jun Jun Jul 1-14 15-30 1-16 17-31 1-15 16-30 1-17 Shet 4 2 Ork 14 1 Caith 1 4 4 OHeb 6 3 1 I&R 1 Argyll 2 1 2 Clyde 1 3 1 Ayr 1 3 1 D&G 2 2 4 NE 9 8 2 D 2 A&D 3 3 Fife 4 4 Cent 1 1 Loth 2 2 Bord 2 1 Breeding: Pair nested L.of Strathbeg NE, eggs seen early Jul, but failed. 1? Barbeth Pool Cly 13-18 Aug was the only autumn report. Garganey D.G.Mitchell Shoveler Anas clypeata Generally scarce Jan-Mar, widespread but mainly 1-3 birds. 44 Caerlaverock D&G in Jan; 20 Sanday Ork 12 Jan; 18 Hoselaw L.B 14 Jan; 12 Kilcon- quhar L. F 17 Jan; 20 Kinnordy A&D 10 Feb; 45. Dyce NE 17 Feb; 41 N.Ronaldsay Ork in Feb with 33 there in Mar; 14 Vane Farm P&K 15 Mar; 20 L.Ken D&G 31 Mar. Movements evident late Mar to mid-May; c26 at 4 sites Cly 23 Mar-2 Apr; peak 29 Kinnordy 3 Apr; max 14 Balranald OH 3 May; max 6 Fetlar Shet 9 May and 4 Fair Is 15 May. LP a LI GD TE EL SL Se EES TE OT SI Ss DE CS ETS 16 Breeding Sites Pairs Broods Br+Young Shetland 3 4 1+ ?br 4 Orkney 4 7+ 5+ Sbr? Caithness 2) 1 0 M&N 1 2 0 NE Scot 1 z 2 2br 1+ O.Heb 1 2+ + Argyll - 1 2 2 ? Clyde 3 6 0 Ayrshire 2+ 4+ 4 4br? D&G 2+ 4+ 3+ 3?br14 A&D 4 8+ ? ?br19 P&K 5+ 8+ 4+ br1l Fife 1+ 1 1 br13 Lothian 4+ 4+ 0 Borders 4 8+ 2 2br 5 Autumn build-up from early Sep: 31 N.Ronaldsay & 104 Inner Solway D&G in Sep; 400 L.Leven P&K & 15 Strathbeg NE 16 Sep; max 69 Kilcon- quhar L.1 Oct; 540 L.Leven 3 Oct; 61 Hirsel B7 Oct; 37 Montrose Basin A&D 12 Oct; 44 Hule Moss B on 21 Oct; 69 Kinnordy 22 Oct. Nov exodus: only 5 sites >20 birds: including 48 at L.Leven 4 Nov and 200 Powfoot D&G 9 Dec. *Red-crested Pochard Neztta rufina Ad @' L.of Harray 1 Jan-7 Feb; Ad & L.Leven P&K 9 Jun-28 Sep, joined by $16 Sep-2 there 27 Oct; imm 3 Kilconquhar L. F 3 Sep-28 Nov; 1% Castle L, Lochmaben D&G 16 Aug; lad? Dowlaw B on 23 Aug; 1 6 L.Gelly F 11-13 Sep; imm o@ St.John’s L. Caith 14 Oct-31 Dec; ad & St.Abb’s Head B 14-26 Dec. (The P&K, Fife and Bord records may involve the same individuals.) Pochard Aythya ferina Big winter numbers mainly Ork, Caith and P&K/ Fife: 2,247 on 3 sites Ork, inc 1,282 L.of Broad- house in Jan, dropping to c1,000 in Mar; c600 at L.Rangag & L.Stemster Caith in Jan; peaks 594 Loch Gelly, 350 Kilconquhar L. & 203 Lindores L. F in late Jan-early Feb. Elsewhere Jan peaks of 130 L.Skerrols, Islay Arg, 127 Lochwinnoch & 114 Hogganfield L. Cly; while in Feb there were peaks of at 130 L.of Clickimin Shet, 132 L.of Skene NE, 184 Linlithgow L. L & 140 Yetholm L.B. General exodus in early Mar. Breeding Sites Pairs Broods NE Scot Bia 2+ br2 Clyde 2 2 0 A&D 5 ? 0 P&K 5 4+ brl Lothian 3 1 0 Borders 4 4 br2 Scottish Bird Report 1990 Poor year for breeding with low success. 286 Kilconquhar 26 Aug. Then peaks in Oct with 3,340 at 3 sites Ork, inc 2,245 Loch of Harray; 195 Lochwinnoch 14 Oct; 800 St.John’s L. Caith 24 Oct; 956 L.Leven & 152 Carsebeck P& K 27 Oct; 480 Lochore Meadows F 31 Oct; 490 Kilconquhar 19 Nov and max 139 L.of Strathbeg NE in Nov. Distinct fall off into Dec except in Ork & Caith where still c3,000 birds. Hybrid Pochard X Tufted Duck L.of Brow Shet on 2 Jan. *Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris 2 d spring, 26", 12in autumn/winter. 1 Insh-Aviemore area I&R 2 Feb-28 Jun, seen intermittently at Insh, Loch Pityoulish, L.Vaa and Inverdruie; 1° Coot LOH 11 Apr. 1 & BogtonL. Ayr 9-10 Oct; 1 returned L.Morlich I&R 3 Nov-12 Dec; 12% L.Milton D&G 24 Dec. Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula ‘| Ork had, by far, the largest 89/90 winter population with a massive 1,992 L.of Harray in Jan, dropping to 904 in Feb. Elsewhere best counts: 196 Strathclyde Park Cly, 123 Drummond P. P&K in Jan; 173 Cameron Res. F 14 Jan; 206 KilconquharL. F 17 Jan; 174 Carsebeck P&K 3 Feb; 156 Linlithgow L. L, 133 L.of Skene & 100 L.of Strathbeg NE in Mar; 208 Vane Farm P&K on 2 Apr; 146 Forfar L. A&D 6 Apr; 126 Long L. A&D 16 Apr. Breeding Sites Pairs Broods Br+Young MBS Shetland 4 4 4 4br 34 8.5 Orkney 9 9+ ? Caithness q 15 15 8br 41 al M&N 10 14+ 14 ? NE Scot 5) 9+ 9 Sbr 31+ 6.2 O.Heb 4+ 3+ ? Argyll 4+ 4 1+ br 8 Clyde 6 15 13 13br 63 4.8 Ayrshire i 11+ 8 8br 48 6.0 D&G 12 20+ 3 3br 17 57 A&D 17+ 30+ ? ?br 18 Cent 2 9+ 9 9br 21 2.3 Fife ? 12 12 12br 52 43 Lothian 7 24 12 3br 6 2.0 Borders 26 «114+ 27 27br125 4.6 Large numbers, c24 prs, now summering on R. Tweed & R.Teviot Bord, where 5-6 years ago only a still-| water species. Broods on R.Clyde at Thankerton Cly & Union Canal Loth may be related feature. In Aug 350 Cameron Res F, 421 Gladhouse L & 166 L.Stillgarry OH were excellent post-breeding flocks. R.D.Murray [Ed] Rapid increase in Sep with 700 L. of Harray in Sep & 2,800 L.Leven P&K 16 Sep the outstanding counts; 160 L.of Skene in Oct; 2,835 L.Leven on 27 Oct; max 1,643 L.of Harray 30 Oct; 261 Lochore Meadows F 31 Oct. Gradual general decline in Nov but rise again into late Dec where 1,189 L.of Harray; 207 Kyle of Tongue Suth; 453 N.Kessock I&R; 140 Stannergate A&D, 447 Linlithgow L & 393 Strathclyde Park. 1 3 Aythya hybrid, possibly Tufted X Scaup or Ring-necked Duck St.Abb’s B 10-31 Dec. ScaupAythya marila Main area D&G: 970 Powfoot 11 Feb, 490 L.Ryan 14Feb, 1,430 Mersehead 24 Mar & 1,490 Carsethorn 29 Mar. Elsewhere only 7 sites exceeded 10 birds - 267 Clyde Estuary Cly 14 Jan; 96 Jemimaville I&R 18 Jan; max 135 Leven F 10 Feb; max 72 Irvine Ayr 19 Feb; 164-182 L.Indaal, Islay Arg Jan-Apr; and 135-164 birds L.of Harray Ork Jan-Apr; 124 ' Edderton I&R 9 Mar. Winter populations very stable in most sites to Mar in E and Apr in N&W. Very small scale passage OHeb, Caith, NE, A&D in Apr/May. Summering (June) birds in Shet (pr+ at 2 sites), Caith (pr at 1 site). Singles Kingston M&N & Ork 29 Jul-2 Aug but first reports mainly late Aug/early Sep. Peak 240 L.of Harray 20 Sep. No details from SW but main build up in winter areas mainly Nov reaching 660 L.Indaal Nov/Dec; 247 Jemimaville 12 Dec; 160 Leven 16 Dec; 182 L.of Harray 26 Dec.Numbers in E considered very low in both winter periods. *Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis 1 o@ L.Milton & Auchenreoch L. D&G 29 Dec into 1991 was first record for Scotland. See Hesketh & Cooper 1990 Birding World 4 (1): 29. Eider Somateria mollissima Up to 30,000 wintered outer Firth of Tay A&D/F, possibly drawing birds from Northumberland to NE Scotland. Winter max include 1,500 Montrose Basin A&D; 1,943 Clyde Estuary Cly & 500 St.Andrew’s Bay F in Jan; 624 Ythan Estuary NE, 4,000 Gosford L & 2,193 around Wyre Ork in Feb; Mar numbers generally much lower. Breeding: Ork c75 prs Papa Westray; Caith broods 11 sites; Suth 214 +39 young Handa, 23br 110 L.Fleet; I&R 27 nests Nigg; Arg 8 2 +55 young 17 Machrihanish; Bute 37 freared 87 young Arran; Cly 31br 146 Clyde Estuary; Ayr 178 nests Horse Is, probablty an underestimate, 59$with 151 young Ayr coast; M&N 152 with 25 young; NE 238 young Ythan Estuary 7 Jun, with 423 there 15 Jul; A&D 182 young Montrose Basin 17 Jun; Is of May 589 nests found from estimated 841 nests, 137 young 6 Jun; Loth 490 prs Aberlady reared only 2 broods with 8 young, 60 nests Inchkeith, 21 ? with 287 young Cramond, 68 young at 4 sites E.Loth. No successful breeding Fife & Bord. Common Eider Bernie Zonfrillo Summer/autumn flocks: Shet 6,974 counted from estimated <9,000 (continues downwards trend from 16,500 in 1977 & 12,000 in 1984); Suth max 1,700 L.Fleet 23 Sep; NE max 3,093 Ythan Estuary in May, 4,500 Murcar 18 Aug, 5,000 Donmouth 9 Sep; Fife 1,068 Ruddon’s Pt 11 Sep; Ayr 1,500 Bogside- Irvine 13 Sep; Cly 3,500-4,000 Clyde Estuary in Sep. Max in Forth not until Oct, suggesting move- ments of E coast birds with 1,396 Largo Bay F on 14 Oct and record max 6,050 Gullane L 22 Oct. King Eider Somateria spectabilis Several records, c12 in NE and 6 elsewhere, which may refer to only 4-9 birds. The chart (p. 19) indicates likely affinities and dates. Some long- stayers have not been submitted to the BBRC for that year. It seems probable that the Tayport bird may spend some time in the NE and perhaps even further north in Loch Fleet and/or Orkney. Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis Ork had the best counts in winter 89/90 with max 1,082 around Wyre & 220 Watersound in Feb: Elsewhere Jan peaks inc 250 Dunnet Bay Caith, 179 Golspie-Portmahomack Suth, 203 Spey Bay M&N, 300 Carnoustie A&D & 325 Aberlady L. Mar max inc 227 Peninerine OH, 380 Chanonry I&R & 500 Donmouth NE with Apr peaks of 200 Kirkwall Ork, 243 Montrose A&D & 150 Leven F. 18 Scottish Bird Report 1990 King Eider in Scotland 1990 * Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun — Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov’ Dec Donmouth2 Ythan3 ‘large shield’ YthanNE large shield’ Ythan_ Tresta Shet : a ikke ge Bila EN ea ANS eek Oe ad * 3 unless stated otherwise ee 3 period of record ——— possible links ? Surf Scoter in Scotland 1990 * Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun = Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov _ Dec ~ Murcar NE Lunan A&D Murcar a — a— a lopeman M&N Burghead M&N Burghead _ Burghead eee ae ae — CulbinM&N_—Culbi oemMen OO” Bressay Shet : Noss Shet. Fi M&N y Findhorn M& St.Andrews F Largo F has ——— eee Largo 2 se ee Largo 3 Largo4 Musselburgh L | a | Gosford L Musselburgh| | ES —_— eee | Gosford 2 : Musselburgh 2 is] SS ee immo’ St.Andrews © immo’ Gosford Ea ? Gosford, Largo & Musselburgh ? Musselburgt eee | 9 Largo . ? Sinclair's Ba : | eae Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun — jul Aug Sep Oct Nov _ Dec R.D.Murray [Ed] 19 No clear passage movements but 147 Largo F on 13 May and 66 roosting L.of Spiggie Shet 17 May. Many parties & individuals lingering into May and early Jun with odd birds summering e.g. iuBle L.Gelly F and L.Ryan D&G. Return passage: 1 Hound Pt L 9 Sep; 1 Fair Is on 22 Sep; 60N Eyemouth B 24 Sep; & 2 Dunnet Bay Caith 25 Sep. Main influx early Oct with usual scatter of inland reports: 1 Caith, 3 M&N, 6 Cly, 3 Ayr, 1 Loth and 1 Bord. Nov/Dec peaks inc 368 Bluemill Shet; 400 Bay of Quoys Ork; 613 East Suth coast; 1,778 Eathie & 1,928 Chanonry I&R; 3,056 roost Burghead Bay M&N; 330 Kinshaldy & 122 Largo F; 610 Gosford-Gullane L. Numbers in S&W low, few reports of > 30 birds. Common Scoter Melanitta nigra Main centres in E: 3,000 St.Andrew’s Bay F 27 Jan but many more in mist on 3 Jan, flock dropped to 1,000 by 12 Feb; 1,100 Murcar and 450 at 3 other sites NE 1-2 Jan; max 200 E.Suth coast & 310 Gullane L in Jan; max 430 Spey Bay M&N in Feb. Only small numbers N & W except max 104 L.Indaal, Islay Arg in Feb. Usual decline in Mar & Apr. Breeding Sites Pairs Broods Shetland 2 D) brl Caithness ? 4 ? Sutherland 4 2+ ? I&R 8 11+ 4br22 P&K 1 4+ 3br4? Arg 1 10 1+ Moult flocks: A&D 800 Kinnaber 28 Jul with 1,000 Lunan Bay by late Aug; NE 1,100 Murcar on 8 Jul, peaking 1,300 on 18 Aug; Arg max of 230 Sound of Gigha 6 Aug. Few signs of arrival but passage in SE inccluded 280 Inverkeithing & Kiliminning F, 181N/hrSt.Abb’s & 150 Burnmouth B 21 Oct & 70W Hound Pt L 22 Oct. Oct-Dec maxima include 688 Golspie- Portmahomack Suth, c1,400 (inc unidentified scoter species) at 4 sites M&N, 500 Kinshaldy F and 459 Gullane L. *Black Scoter Melanitta n.americana [1989] 14 L.Ryan D&G 16 Feb. *Surf Scoter Melanitta perspicillata 35 records but many must be of the individuals moving about wintering in the Forth and migrating north in summer. In total the numbers could be explained by a minimum of 66, 1immo & 2. See chart (p19) for all records and the possible relationships between observations of individual birds. Velvet Scoter Melanitta fusca St.Andrews Bay F is principal wintering site with 300 on 12 Jan, rising to max 1,000 on 12 Feb. Max 200 Gosford L in Mar but numbers low there. Few other sites in excess of c50 birds: 89 Lunan Bay A&D, 53 Blackdog NE, 88 Nairn/Culbin Bars & 65 Burghead M&N in Jan; 82 Spey Bay M&N in Feb. Last birds Caith, Ork with a few passage birds Arg, OHeb mid-May. Low numbers on E coast Mar/Apr before increase in May/Jun with moult migrants: 250 Musselburgh L in May, 130 there Jun; 800 St.Andrews 16 Jun. Some movement of the main moult flock up the E coast suggested by return to Lunan Bay & Murcar NE 1-8 Jul, rising at Lunan to 400 by 4 Aug & at Kinnaber NE to 82 on 17 Aug. Wintering birds arrival from mid-Sep in I&R, Shet, Caith, Ork with main movement mid-Oct. Flocks peaking at 109 Blackdog 7 Oct; 700 Lunan Bay on 21 Oct; 198 Gullane L 25 Oct; and 75 L.Fleet Suth in Dec. Goldeneye Bucephala clangula Main winter areas in S & E: Jan/Feb peak counts 610 Ness Mouth I&R; 490 Balmossie A&D; 934 Largo Bay F; 668 Blackness-Gullane L; c350 on 2 areas of R.Tweed B; 356 Doonfoot-Newton Ayr; 413 Clyde Estuary Cly. Passage gave Mar peaks of 415 L.of Skene NE; 131 L.of Stenness Ork; with 190 L.of Skene 10 Apr & 410 Kilconquhar L F on 20 Apr. Most birds away by late Apr but small number into Jun. Summering birds: 2 Shet, Ork 1, Caith 1, OHeb 1, Loth 5, Bord 2, Cly 3, Ayr 6, D&G. Only breeding record was in M&N where 2 sites produced a single young. Odd birds returning from early Sep but main movement mid-Oct: 585 Fishtown of Usan A&D 21 Oct; 1OSN/hr St.Abb’s B 21 Oct; 158 Doonfoot Ayr 23 Oct; 210 L.of Skene in Oct & 358 in Nov; 1,413 Ness Mouth 14 Nov; 360 Dipple Ayr 27 Nov; 358 sites sites R. Tweed & 223 Clyde Estuary in Nov; 960 Leven F 5 Dec; 402 Blackness-Gullane in Dec. Numbers a little lower in Dec. 20 Smew Mergus albellus Spr-Aut J F M A O N D Shet (0-1) 1 1 Ork (0-1) 1 Cathy Gel)ie 1 1 1 1 1 1 I&R (0-1) 1 NE (1-1) 4 1 1 A&D (0-1) 1 Fife (1-0) 1 REG 25 (2=2) eto p) 1 1 l Clyde —(9-5) _ 5 7 5 2, 4 Ayr Q-1)=. 2 1 1 1 D&G “@H)i1 [eee 1 Loth (120) 31 1 1 Bord e23(233)'5 22 1 1 2, 1 (22-18) Max 22 (6<*) birds Jan-Apr, with 18 (40" ) Oct-Dec, perhaps less if birds moving within Scotland. Last 1 L.Gelly F 8 Apr; first L.of Mey Caith 31 Oct. Best count was 5 Strathclyde Park Cly 3-11 Feb. Hybrid & Smew X Goldeneye Inverness I&R on 31 Jan-23 Mar. Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator Main winter resorts Forth & Moray Firths. Max 305 E.Suth coast in Jan; 90 Montrose Basin A&D 10 Jan; 51 Skinflats Cent 12 Jan; max 192 Blackness-Gullane L in Feb. Low numbers Mar but passage E coast Apr/May - 150 Gosford L in Apr; 171 Montrose Bay 8 Apr; 53 Aberdeen NE 16 Apr; 117N Arbroath Cliffs A&D 21 Apr; 71 L.of Tankerness Ork 12 May. Breeding Sites Pairs Broods Shetland 4 4br ? Orkney 6 9+ ? Caithness 1 1 lbr ? Sutherland 1 4+ 4br13 M&N 3 5 5br35 P&K 10 24+ Abr? Bute ee 6 6br30 Clyde 5 c42 2br10 Ayrshire 73 5) 4br20 Biggest moult flock on W coast, but smaller but more numerous on E: 160 Luce Bay D&G 8 Jul; 110 Ardjackie I&R 10 Jul; 70 Murcar NE 18 Jul; 160 L.Indaal, Islay Arg 22 Jul; 530 Sound of Gigha Arg 26 Jul, peaking with massive 1,070 on 21 Aug; 105 Largo Bay F 31 Jul; 100 Echnaloch Bay Ork on | Aug; 120 Gosford & 142 Gullane L Aug; 388 Sallachan I&R 3 Aug; and 638 Kinnaber A&G on 10 Aug. Flock size gradually rises on wintering sites as migrants arrive, peaking mid-Oct with 431 L.Fleet Suth, 183 Inverness I&R, 223 Delnies M&N, 315 fs ee | Scottish Bird Report 1990 Largo Bay, 796 Blackness-Gullane L & 221 L.Ryan D&G. Small declines at these sites with some redistribution of flocks intoDec when 1,130 Eathie/ Learnie I&R 4 Dec & c700 at 4 sites Inner Moray Firth I&R 16 Dec; also 500 Kinshaldy F & 102 Forth Estuary Cent. Goosander Mergus merganser Huge Beauly Firth I&R flock failed to materialise winter 89/90, max there 250-350 birds. Best count was 277 roosting Hirsel L. B 2 Jan but other Jan max inc 41 L.Spynie M&N, 30 Kinnordy A&D, 56 R.Tay near Perth P&K, 90 Cobbinshaw L, 60 Barr L. & 89 Strathclyde Park Cly, 69 Castle L., Lochmaben D&G. Most sites decline later but max 99 L.of Skene NE & 50 Auchenreoch D&G in Feb. Many sites with single figures in Mar/Apr as breeding territories taken up but pre-moult migration assembly at Hirsel peaked at 140 on 14 May. Light passage N & W Isles, usually 1-3 birds, Mar- early May with June stragglers. Breeding Sites Pairs Broods NE 1 ? ?br90 A&D 8+ ? ? P&K - ? 15+ 3br ? Cent 2 6 ? Bute 1 1 lbr 6 Clyde D; 25 6br37 Ayrshire a 7 2br17 D&G 13 24 8br ? Loth 1 1 lbr 5 Bord 16 16+ 10br51 Study of breeding numbers on R.Dee NE had very I low productivity - c60 prs only managed 90 young, |” a 60% decline from previous totals of 280 young. | 9 nests Ae Forest D&G -average clutch size of 8.7. — | i | Moult/post-breeding flock peaks: 101 Tyninghame | L 24 Aug; 20 Montrose A&D & 140 Speymouth | M&N 26 Aug; 41 R.Clyde at Carstairs Cly 2 Sep; | 90 Cults Res NE 4 Sep; 206 Tay Estuary F 23 Sep; 67 (all redheads) Vane Farm P&K 30 Sep, max L.Leven 94 on 3 Oct; max 290 (mainly redheads) Hirsel L. 14 Oct and max 130 Cults Res in Oct. Build-up of winter flocks with returning males from late Oct with 470 Beauly Firth 31 Oct, rising) to max 610 on 14 Nov, with 485 on 10 Dec. | Max 40 L.Spynie in Nov; 103 Balgray Res. Cly, 69 Cobbinshaw & 54 Threipmuir L in Dec and max 104 R.Tay near Perth 31 Dec. R.D.Murray [Ed] 21 Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis Indications that wintering now takes place in W with pr Barr L. & 19 Lochend L. Cly Jan-early Mar. Arrivals: Bord, A&D 15-17 Mar; Fife, Cly 3-9 Apr; NE, Loth by 1 May with overshooting to L.of Norby Shet 13 May. Breeding Sites oo = FY Broods NE Scot 1 5 1 0 A&D 4 12 5) 4br11 P&K 3 5+ 5+ 3br 6+ Fife 4+ 4+ 4+ lbr 5 Loth 3 6 1 0 Bord 5 3 3 lbr 3 Clyde 2 4 4 lbr 6 Breeding population clearly becoming established and expanding with indications that autumn dis- persal may be a form prospecting sites for next spring. Max 24 Kinnordy A&D 9 Jul; 13 Loch Gelly F & 7 Woodend L.Cly 16 Sep; 6 Vane Farm P&K on 29 Nov. Nov reports Fife (6), P&K (6), Ayr (1), L Bord (2) with fewer in Dec - A&D (1), Fife 93), P&K (4). Honey Buzzard Honey Buzzard Pernis aviporus 8 reports, all singles but some west coast reports might relate to a single individual. IN Drimsdale OH on 13 May; 1 Kippo Wood F on 24 May; 1 at Crinan Arg 5-6 Jun; 1 Connel Arg 13 Jun; 1 Calgary, Mull Arg 28 Jun; 1 Trossachs Cent on 1 Aug; 1 North Ronaldsay Ork 15 Aug; 1 Stronsay Ork 1 Sep. Red Kite Milvus migrans 20 birds from Swedish nests released I&R as 2nd phase of Scottish reintroduction scheme, these and the 6 birds released in 1989 were seen over much of Scotland. Some disperse Aug-Oct, form a winter territory Nov-Feb and return to their ‘natal’ area Mar-Jul. Others are more or less sedentary. Reports from M&N, Fife, Loth, Bord, Arg, Clyde. White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla 2 successful breeding pairs each reared one chick. This brings the numbers of fledged young reared in Scotland to 15. Casual reports restricted to Arg, OHeb and I&R, the area of the re-introduction. Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus 22 in spring. First 1 L.of Strathbeg NE 9 Apr with 2 there 24-27 Apr; 1 Caerlaverock D&G 25 Apr; but main passage 4 to 31 May with 2 Ork, 3 I&R, 1 M&N, 4 NE, 1 A&D, 2 Loth, 1 Arg & 1 Cly. Jun reports of singles I&R, Fife, Loth & Cly. A total of 7 birds passed through L.of Strathbeg between 9 Apr-30 May. 1 long-stayer L.Stillgarry OH 28 Jul-26 Aug. Other Aug/Sep reports: singles in Shet, Ork, I&R, NE, A&D with 3 birds at L.of Strathbeg 11 Aug- 7 Sep, the latest report. Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus 1 overwintered Shet; 10-22 birds at 3 roosts Ork; up to 12 roosting Moine Mhor Arg Jan-Apr; Deeside NE roost, max 16 in Mar. Elsewhere scattered reports of single birds, mainly from low ground. Breeding: Sites nests failed young fledged Orkney OF 36 22. 14br 34 Caithness 8 3 ? ? NE 12 7 ? ?br 14+ A&D 2 ? R B P&K 36 36 19 17br 48 Borders 6 3 ? 3br ? OHeb 14 5 2 2br ? Argyll 68 68 60br158 Bute 4 ? ? 2 Clyde 8 4 3 Lor 2 Ayrshire 11 11 ? 11br 18 D&G 13 10 4 lbr 3 The failure rate in Ork is a normal consequence of the high rate of polygyny. 13 of the 19 failures in P&K were illegal persecution as were 2 of the 4 in D&G and all 3 in Clyde. 1990 was deemed to be a ‘good’ year with reasonable production. a a SSS OIA RY ZV SO SES TO Ba RO 22 Scottish Bird Report 1990 Autumn/winter reports. Roosts: 8-14 at 2 sites Ork; 10-12 Insh Marshes I&R in Nov; 12 Deeside Nov & Dec; 2 Hexpath B 11 Nov is first winter roost in area for many years; 15 L.Gruinart, Islay on 10 Oct & 14 Moine Mhor Arg 25 Nov; 3 Endrick Mouth Cly 19 Nov; 3 roosts D&G, inc max 17 on 25 Nov. Goshawk Accipiter gentilis Local accounts too guarded to obtain a national overview but impression of continuing spread and consolidation, especially in state and commercial forestry, in the face of pockets of persecution, particularly on private estates. Most frequent in S. Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus Too numerous, and therefore not reported, in some areas to make any sensible statement other than apparently ’doing well’. Only where uncommon or where special studies is it possible to make comments. Ork 6 sites, 2 prs reared single young, one of which died after fledging; Bute 15 territories, only 2 of which definitely bred; Ayr 30 territories, 17 broods raised 55 young (3.2 MBS); D&G 26 nests Forest of Ae where ratio 14 to 1.39, average clutch 5 and MBS 3.6. Usual passage birds through N & W Isles and coastal migration stations but 21S past Balnamoil Arg Aug-Oct with max 7 on 26-27 Sep was inter- esting. Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis 1 Dufftown M&N in spring remained until Jun. This escape was first seen spring 1989 at Cabrach. Hit ORES HAM. Buzzard Buteo buteo Reports from all of Scotland reflect a buoyant population actively expanding into areas previous unoccupied, especially low ground and whole ar- eas in the SE where extripated due to persecution. Hen Harrier Steve Brown Range expansion: Ork 2 sites, reared 1 young;. P&K spread in east around Errol; Loth seen in 5 areas; Bord record 80 sightings in breeding season, probably bred 15 sites; Cly 16 territories with some away from L.Lomond; Ayr 34 territories with spread in N & C areas; D&G many new sites with spread to low ground, esp in W. In main range:I&R poor success Eigg,13 prs pro- duced 3 broods & only 4 young, MBS 1.3; M&N 29 territories located in 10Km? HH13; Arg 32 mainland territories in one study had average size 3.3 Km’, in mid-Argyll & Mull study 43 nests had © mean clutch 2.2 of which 87% hatched and had | MBS of 1.7, 90% of nests hatched 1 young; Cent | late Mar - 19 soaring 4 sites Callander, 23 soaring W.Trossachs; OHeb 45 territories, 70% of eggs in 8 monitored nests hatched S.Uist; D&G 12 nests | had MBS of 2.5. ) Passage birds in Shet & Fair Is: 3 seen 27 Aprto | 10 May. | *Rough-legged Buzzard Buteo lagopus | 5 winter/spring: singles Glen Lethnot A&D 16-18 Feb; Knock of Braemoray M&N 30 Mar-1 Apr; | Rackwick, Hoy Ork 11 Apr; Strath Beg Suth on | 22 Apr; 1 Hirta, St.Kilda OH 8 May. 2 autumn: 1 Ist-w Kilphedar OH 7 Oct; another Ist-w several sites N & S.Uist OH 20-22 Oct. R.D.Murray [Ed] 23 Golden Eagle Aquila chryseatos Usual reports of wandering birds in S & E. Breeding: Sites Sites Eggs Eggs Chicks Total RSGarea_ checked occupied laid hatched fledged Young W.Isles 65 55 Ge le 11 12 Highland 113 84 42 52 NE Scot 30 29 18+ 16 15 22+ Central WS) 25 10+ g 3 3 Argyll+SW 70 61 38-47 22+ 19 24 Totals 303 212 124+ 95+ 90 113 A disastrous season over most of the range. The exceptionally wet winter 89/90 may have meant many pairs were not in good condition. Some did not bother even trying to breed. Production in Highland RSG area was only 0.33 from 50 moni- tored pairs, the lowest since study started in 1981. Robberies acoounted for only 4 nests on the main- land but perhaps as many as 9 failed in Lewis & Harris due to persecution. (from SBN 22: 9-10) Osprey Pandion haliaetus First singles D&G 23 Mar; L.Insh I&R 26 Mar; Inversnaid Cly 27 Mar; then M&N on 4 Apr; Bord, Suth, Loth 10-16 Apr; A&D, Caith 29 Apr; Fair Is & Arg 8 May; NE, Fife, OHeb, Shet 14-16 May; Ork & Ayr 19-21 May. In total 63 prs held territory of which 56 prs laid eggs. 48 clutches hatched and 44 broods producing 88 young were successful. This represented 4 more eyries while 2 other eyries held single birds. 7 nests were robbed and one failed due to interfer- ence by a third bird. The wet weather meant several chicks died while 3 fledglings died from starvation due to food shortage (SBN 22: 9-10). None N & W Isles in autumn. Main passage 10 to 30 Aug with last reports: A&D 7 Sep; M&N 25 Sep; Cly 3 Oct; Cent 3 Nov; Loth 7 Nov; last 1 Mull Arg 9 Nov. Kestrel Falco tunninculus Few meaningful reports on this common raptor; often confined to numbers of observations and vague comments on abundance. Breeding: Sites Pairs Nests Broods Yng/Br Orkney 6 20 14 11 8br28 Caith ? 8 7 ? 2 Suth 1 2 2 2 2br8 OHeb ? 11 ? ? 2br8 Fife ? 15 2 ? v Bute 2 12 ? ? v Ayr ? 33 31 Di 27br104 Loth 7 8 4 ? 2 Bord 6 15 u ? 1br2 Study P&K had a 2nd poor year in an upland area and showed a 70% reduction on 1987/88 levels with smaller brood sizes in successful nests. Study in Ayr (G.Riddle in Ayrshire Bird Report 1991: p11) had a late start due to weather but an 80% occupation of territories. An excellent breed- ing season had 31 clutches (average 5.3 eggs/nest); 75% of the eggs hatched and brood survival was 88%; the MBS was 4.0 and one brood includeds 2 leucistic young. Passage included influx of 25 Shet during Sep. *Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus A poor year: 1 ad & Sand Shet 29 Jul & 1 9 Macharioch Arg 19 Aug. Merlin Falco columbarius Usual scatter of winter reports, many on coast. Usual light spring passage with 4 Is of May on 20 Mar-29 Apr; 4 St.Kilda OH 15 Apr-18 May & 11 Fair Is 24 Apr-30 May. _Breeding:Sites Sites Eggs Eggs Chicks Total RSGs checked occupied laid hatched fledged Young Shetland 29 29 23 18+ 18 52 Orkney 46 14+ 14 9 9 29 OHeb 45 23 6 18 Highland 53 43 30 22 21 69 Grampian 58 51 39 36 108+ Tayside 69+ 47 30 95 Argyll 18+ 18 14 9+ 9 34 SE DS time 25 23 PA 19 59+ SW 24 23 16 12 11 33+ Totals 367+ 280+ 207+ 166+ 159+ 497+ A good season with high levels of occupation in most areas with the exception of Highland and part of Lammermuirs (Loth & Bord). Success was generally high, indeed at record levels in Ork and Angus (SBN 22: 9-10). Good autumn passage in many areas, peaking mid- Oct Fair Is with max 6 on 18 Oct; recorded 30 days N.Ronaldsay Ork, max 3 on 21 Oct; max 5S Balnamoil Arg 24-27 Sep. Hobby Falco subbuteo 7 spring, 5 autumn. 1 Fife Ness F on 10 May; 1 Southend Arg 17 May; 1 Baron’s Haugh Cly 19-27 May; with singles Shet Uyeasound 27 May & Gulberwick 30 May; 1 Eyemouth B 1 Jun; 1 Stronsay Ork 4-13 Jun. Late Jun/July reports from Shet, Suth, A&D, Ayr, Loth, Bord; some in situations that might presage future breeding. 24 Foyers I&R 4 Aug; 1 Hoy Ork 6 Aug; | exhausted St.Kilda OH 30 Aug. *Gyrfaicon Falco rusticolus 6-8 birds spring, 2 autumn. 1 ‘grey’ 6 Cheese Bay, N.Uist OH on 11 Mar; 1 ‘white’ o Grogarry S.Uist OH 24 Mar; 1 ‘white’ f Grogarry 13 Apr with same at Drimsdale OH 14- 19 Apr; 1 ‘white’ Griminish N.Uist OH 24 Apr was one of above ‘white’ birds. 1 o' 1st-w ‘white’ Trondra area Shet 16-17 Apr; 1 ‘white’ @ Islay Arg 17 Apr; 1 ‘grey’ Strathdon NE 21 Apr; 1 ado ‘white’ Hoy Ork 24 May-7 Jun. 1 1st-w ‘grey’ Compass Head Shet 11 Oct; and 1 Thurso Bay Caith 19 Nov. Peregrine Falco peregrinus Sightings away from breeding areas light Jan-Mar (mean 4.3 in NE, 6.3 in Loth) but more frequent Aug-Dec (5.8 in NE, 10.8 in Loth). Breeding: Sites Occupied Eggs Eggs Flying Total Persec RSG checked sites laid hatched Young Young Theft Shetland 5+ 5 1 1 1 3 Orkney 33 17. 7-15 4-7 4 A+ OHeb 16 16 6 8 Highland 104 84 TO so 246. Foe 9G. Ne KK COO NE Scot 121 109 84 62+ 58 142+ Central 61 53 30+ 67+ Aryl 104) Davee90' ga dee os 0 SE 35 31 29 18 15 37 15 SW 71 59+ 51+ 38+ 33 715 20 Totals 471 398+ 293+ 222+ 205+ 453+ 43 An average season OHeb, Highland, Arg, NE; less so in Ork & SE but above average in Cent and SW. Nest losses through persecution and theft are markedly higher in S versus N. Red Grouse Lagopus lagopus A species not well reported with best evidence coming from shooting returns than from birders. Spring stocks were high in NE and good breeding, suggested by high bag returns, was seen in M&N, NE, Arran, Ayr and parts of D&G (where still scarce in S & W of area). Highest counts, by far, were 320 Strone, Newton- more I&R 28 Feb & 612 Strathnairn I&R 27 Nov. Some introductions noted Fairlie Ayr. 1 Holm Ork 30 Jul; 1 Powgavie P& K 3 Aug; Idead | Ptarmigan Lagopus mutus _Scottish Bird Report 1990 Scattered reports from many areas but little mate- rial on populations except from NE where “spring stocks remained at a peak in Cairnwell compared to other areas, being lower on hills to east. Stocks were high in central and east Cairngorms and on Lochnagar massif. Breeding by some birds on the high Cairngorms failed because of heavy summer snowstorms but breeding on the lower hills was good” North-East Scotland Bird Report . Broods noted Ben Rinnes & Ben Avon M&N; Glas Maol A&D; Glen Shee, Glen Lyon, NW Rannoch & Atholl P&K; Ben More, Mull Arg. Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix Breeding Sites/Leks od’ 99 nests/broods Suth 2 2 0 0 I&R 4 29+ - 2+ 0 M&N 7 39 13 0 A&D 5 ? ? 4 P&K 112 905 ? ¥ Arg Poi 32+. 8+ 2 Cly 9 De eG 0 Ayr 14 16 24 0 D&G 12 21+ 6+ 0 Loth 6 13+ 14 0 Bord 27 93 43 0 1 Aberlady Bay L 21 & 8 Apr was most unusual site. The Perthshire Black Grouse Study Group registered 155 leks of which 112 were visited. A total of 905 males were counted. 17 of the 112 leks were single-bird leks - an under-recorded category. 30 leks had 10 or more males, 8 of these had more than 20 birds. The highest density in a single 10KnY was | male per 67 hectares. Perth & Kinross Bird Report. Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus Records scarce especially on margins of range with only 1 report Arg, 2 from Cent and 1 site A&D. I&R 48 were counted on drive in Abernethy 3 Feb, 2 other reports; M&N 4 broods Darnaway, 1 nest Delnapot & 2 other records; NE 4 sites plus | Deeside area where breeding hen numbers were in | their normal range although breeding success was poor, averaging 1| fledgling per hen, autumn densi- ties were normal, about 14/Km*; P&K 7 areas, in- | cluding some newly colonised sites but one site | holding 14 "in spring was felled by the autumn; Cly 2 reports L.Lomond area but 3 4,3 2 & 2br6 found on 3 of the L.Lomond islands 8 Jun. | oe R.D.Murray [Ed] 25 Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa inc Chukar Alectoris chukar and hybrids. Widespread scatter of reports. Pure-bred Chukars still being released in Bord & I&R but infinite variety of hybrids, including hybrids being re- leased D&G. 100 Red-legs released 2 sites Mull Arg, none remained/survived by 31 Dec. Numbers everywhere are small with 23 L.of Skene NE 3 Feb being exceptional. Few sites where doing well but apparently well-established Wolfhill/ Guildtown P&K. Young noted only in M&N, A&D & P&K. Grey Partridge Perdix perdix Reports generally suggst a good breeding season with some increase in numbers and range, esp in E. This is supported by sizeable coveys in excess of 15 birds: 3 in M&N, 4 NE, 1 A&D, 2 Fife, 6 P&K, 1 Cent, 6 Loth, 1 Cly & 3 Ayr. Largests parties: cS0 Luncarty P&K. Release of 100 Mull Arg, c10 still present 31 Dec; smaller releases Islay Arg and S.Uist OH. Quail Coturnis coturnix By normal standards an excellent year but perhaps insignificant after the 1989 invasion. Once again arrivals seemed to be staggered throughout the summer period. First 1 Burgie M&N 11 May; 1 Burravoe Shet on 22 May; | Tyninghame L 24 May; 2 E.Fenton L 25 May; 1 Sumburgh Shet 26 May; 1 St.Kilda OH 27 May. Then 1 Shet, 3 Ork, 1 Caith, 1 Cly, 1 Bord 30 May - 5 Jun. Further arrivals, involving some long-stayers, from mid-Jun: 1 Fair Is, 1 Ork, 6 Caith, 2 1&R, 1 M&N, 4 NE, 1 Fife, 1 Loth, 6 Bord,3 Cly. Others only Quail reports- 1990 1-15 16-31 1-15 N. Isles 2 W.Isles N.Scot 6 NE Scot 4 E/C Scot 1 SE Scot 8 SW Scot Totals 1 21 * NE - another 19 calling in “summer” heard from mid-July with extraordinary influx of 14 birds Methick/Gowanhill NE on 2 Aug, calling from different sites on later evenings. Breeding: Caith 3prs bred, 2 L.Heilen raising min 3 young; NE 18 calling from 3 sites, inc 11 Kinnef; Bord 16 singing from 10 sites, br6 seen Reston on 29 Aug; Cly 5 flew from field being harvested Carstairs 2 Sep may well have been brood; D&G pair bred Leswalt but 1 chick injured by combine. Scatter of autumn reports: 1 OHeb, 1 M&N, 4 NE, 1 Is of May & 1 Bord, mostly mid-Aug/early Sep. Last 1 shot Chirnside B 2 Oct; 1 Balmedie NE 21 & DS Oct: Pheasant Phasianus cholchis Nothing of significance in any local bird report. Golden Pheasant Chrysolophus pictus Norecords on the small feral birds in D&G and Arg but 1 escape Ettrickbridge B 28 Apr . Water Rail Rallus aquaticus Widespread winter reports, usually singles. 7 at 6 sites Shet; 1 Fair Is; 2 at 1 site Ork; 1 OHeb; 1 I&R; max 4 L.Spynie M&N; 5 in NE; 1 A&D; 2 sites Fife inc 5 Lindores L. 28 Feb; 5 at 3 sites Loth; 1 Bord; 3 singles Cly; 2 singles Ayr; max 3 Drumglass D&G. Breeding Sites ‘Singers’ Young Ork 1 1-4 brl M&N 1 1 - NE 5 19 - A&D 1 16 + Loth 4 4 brl Bord 5+ _ + Cly 9 21 6br5+ Ayr 12 26+ - D&G 2+ 3+ 2br? 16-30 1-15 16-31 1-15 16-31 1-15 16-30 1-31 May May June June Jul Jul) “Aug “Aug Sep) Sep Oct 26 Max 15 calling L. of the Leys NE from mid-Apr; 16 ‘families’ located at Kinnordy A&D during botanical survey; numerous Tay reedbeds P&K but no counts. Main passage mid-Oct to mid-Nov: 28 at 27 sites Shet, 12 at 7 sites Loth; max 4 L.Sypnie M&N on 29 Oct; max 8 L.of Strathbeg NE in Nov; max 5 Fair Is 6-11 Nov; 4 Lindores L.F 8 Nov. Dec counts much as winter 1989/90. *Spotted Crake Porzana porzana First 1 Insh Marshes I&R 5 May with 2, possibly three calling 9 May; 1 Howmore Marsh OH 6 May; 1 Endrick Mouth Cly 8-14 May; 1 Ardivachar machair OH 27 May. Breeding: heard 3 sites NE but breeding proven one site where ad & br1; 2+ calling Insh into Jul; calling bird Taynish Arg 10 Jun-9 Jul; calling heard again Endrick Mouth 13 Jul suggesting a possible territory there. 1 Oban Liniclate OH 25 Augis only autumn report. Corncrake Crex crex First 1 Shiskine, Arran Bute & Borve, Harris OH on 20 Apr; with first Ork, Ayr, P&K 7-8 May & D&G on 11 May. Breeding Sites Calling birds Bred Orkney 11 15 ? Caithness 1 1 - I&Ross 3 4 3br? OHebrides ? 108 + Argyll 5 37+ + Clyde 2 4 ) Ayrshire 3 3 ) D&Galloway 2 2 br1 Survey OHeb had 55 callers in Uists, -1.7% on 1989 & 53 on Lewis & Harris, a big increase but Scottish Bird Report 1990 Water Rail Tommy Daniels more effort; also in Arg with 17 on Coll, 14 Islay &4 Mull but one site Colonsay badly trampled by people searching for bird ! Some movement Jul with 2 NE & 1 Bord 20-25 Jul before passage mid-Sep when 2 Fair Is, 1 Suth, last birds Ork & Arg. Latest record 1 Fair Is 27 Oct. » Moorhen Gallinula chloropus 1 Troon Marina Ayr 27 Feb was unusual site. Winter counts include 13 Hogganfield L. Cly on 13 Jan; a record 25 St.Abb’s B 14 Jan; 24 L.of Strathbeg NE 22 Jan rising to 31 there on 17 Mar; 14 Duddingston L on 2 Feb. 1 St.Kilda OH 1 Feb, dying bird 28-31 May. No spring migrants Fair Is, first “miss’ since 1967 ! Breeding Sites Pairs Broods Shetland 2 2 1+ Orkney 16 - 16+ ? Caithness 3 3 a P&K 4+ O+ 5+ Central 1 17 17br 49 Lothian 19 62+ 21+ Borders 67 120 74br158 OHebrides i 7+ 2 Argyll 15 15+ 10+ Clyde 20 45+ ? Ayrshire 16 20+ 10br 33 MBS Bord 2.14 was low (mean 2.53 1984-89); brood failures also noted P&K, Ayr. High breeding site counts inc 95 Kinnordy A&Don | 24 Jul; 17 prs Airthey Cent; 10+ Merryton Cly; | 16-17 prs Bavelaw & Gladhouse L; 10 prs Yetholm | Loch & 12 prs Bemersyde B. . 1 moorland Dava M&N 17 Aug; 1 juv exhausted | Balcomie F 20 Oct - a migrant ? Later peaks: 22 L.Leven P&K 16 Sep; 44 Trabboch L. Ayr 4 Nov; 23 Auldearn M&N 12 Dec; 57 Airthey 18 Dec. | R.D.Murray [Ed] 27 Coot Fulica atra Winter peaks: 320 L.of Harray Ork, 351 Carse- beck & 260 Drummond P. P&K, 635 Kilconquhar L. F, 240 L. of Menteith Cent, 188 Baron’s Haugh & 177 Gadloch Cly in Jan and 200 Lindores L. F in Feb. Rapid fall in Mar as birds disperse. Light passage seen OHeb in late Mar. Breeding Sites Pairs Broods Shetland 1 1 0 Orkney 8 8+ 1+ Caithness 1 1 ioyaen 6) M&Naim 10 20 ? Central Dp 29 br 19+ Lothian 9 61 19br ? Borders 54 143 120br324 OHebrides 2 6+ lbr1+ Argyll 4 1 0 Clyde 24 9] 35br 70 Ayrshire 11 34 14br 55 MBS Bord was 2.70, below 3.03 average of 1984- 89. Low numbers of pairs breeding, fewer broods and brood losses noted P&K, Loth, Ayr but Cly MBS 2.0 was precisely average. Autumn counts include a massive 1,490 L.Leven P&K 16 Sep, rising to 1,515 there on 3 Oct & 1,115 Forfar L. A&D 21 Oct. ‘Only’ 620 L.Leven on 4 Nov while 920 still present Forfar 23 Dec. Peak numbers elsewhere include 144 L.Spynie M&N, 213 L.of Skene NE in Sep; 600 Kilconquhar L. F, 447 Yetholm L. B, 315 Baron’s Haugh & 528 Bishop L. Cly in Oct; 710 Lindores Loch F & 320 L.of Harray in Dec. *Crane Grus grus 1 Kirriemuir A&D in early Mar; 1 Kilmartin, Glenurquhart I&R 27 Apr; lad+ 3 imms (1st-s) Eshaness Shet 8-9 May with the 3 young birds to 19 May, 2 to 23 May and | to 6 Sep. The adult was found ‘long-dead’ under wires 30 Jul. 4 Dunvegan, Skye I&R 15 Oct. Ringed Plover D.G.Mitchell Oystercatcher Ostralegus himantopus Winter peak in Jan, mainly in S&W: 1,650 L.Fleet Suth, 4,914 Clyde Est Cly, 2,672 Wigton Bay D&G and 2,037 Blackness-Gullane L 14 Jan; but largest Jan count was 32,000 Caerlaverock D&G. Numbers falling away into Mar as birds move inland. Arrivals M&N 3 Feb; P&K, Bord, Cly 10- 11 Feb; Cent, Loth 18 Feb; Fair Is, I&R 20 Feb. Peak early Mar with 361 L.of Kinnordy A&D on 9 Mar; 840 Strathallan and 653 Scone P&K 11 Mar but later in N with max 200 Fair Is 8 May. Breeding: Shet 170 prs Fetlar; Fair Is 75prs; Suth 27prs Handa & 36prs L.Fleet; Is of May 36prs; Cly c2prs/Km? Medwin Water. Passage from early Jun with 144/hr Muchalls NE 30 Jul; 691/3hrs past Uisaed Point Arg 15 Aug; 3,200 Musselburgh L on 22 Aug; 3,000 Montrose Basin A&D in Sep; 28,000 Caerlaverock in Oct; with numbers tailing off into winter where best copunts: 2,400 Tyninghame L 4 Nov; 6,449 Eden Estuary F 14 Dec; 1,750 L.Fleet 16 Dec. *Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta 2 spring & 1 autumn: 1 Ythan Est NE 19-21 Apr; singles Pefferside L 30 May and Tyninghame L 30 Oct-3 Nov. *Stone Curlew Burhinus oedicemus 1 West Heath, Holm Ork 29 Jun-2 July may be the first summer record for Scotland. *Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius 6 records, 3 potentially of breeders: 1 at site in P&K 9 May -13 Jun; 1 ata site Fife 3 - 25 May; 1 Seafield Pond L 6 May; 1 giving alarm calls at an industrial site Cly 20 May, but not seen later; 1 Aberlady Bay L 1 Jun; 1 juv North Craig Res Ayr 29 Jul with same bird Bogside Ayr 30 Jul. 28 Ringed Plover Charadrius hiatacula OHeb held only significant wintering population with 310 South Ford 7 Jan, with 350 there 17 Feb; 140 Ardivachar Pt. 29 Jan & 300 Kilauley machair 17 Feb. Elsewhere only Blackness-Gullane L, held over 100 birds, max 140 there in Feb. Spring movements were most marked in E with 205 Aberlady Bay L in May; 212 Ythan Estuary NE 13 May; 650 Findhorn Bay M&N 16-22 May; 200 Shapinsay Ork 21 May. Small numbers of large Arctic race C.h.tundrae reported especially in OHeb but 7 Beinn Bhrotain, Cairngorms I&R 27 May were interesting. Breeding: Shet 56-61 prs Fetlar; Fair Is 14prs; Suth 5prs (only 3 chicks) Handa & 32 prs L.Fleet; M&N 7prs Cloddach but very few chicks seen; Bute 16prs Arran; Cly 41 prs was poor coverage; Loth 10 prs Aberlady but poor success. 650 Eden Est F 22 Jun was first sign of autumn passage; 200 (hr) past L.Spynie M&N 3 Aug; 526 Blackness-Gullane L 3 Aug; 223 Doonfoot Ayr 26 Aug; 1,300 South Ford OH 1 Sep; 230 Kinnaber A&D 10 Sep;450 Peninerine OH 23 Sep. Numbers fell into winter with fewer birds than previous winter, max 314 Peninerine 21 Nov and 203 Blackness-Gullane in Dec. Dotterel Charadrius morinellus First 2 parties of 14 & 22 birds seen Cairngorms 1May, where min 88 seen at at 6 sites 1-19 May. Passage birds mainly seen in N&W but 2 parties (5 &6) seen Bord hills 5-6 May; 1 Beinn Bhreac Arran Bute on 9-11 May; 1 North Ronaldsay Ork 10-11 May; 5 L.Hallam OH 11 May; 1 Hirta, St.Kilda OH 20 May; 2 Unst Shet on 27 May and 1 Claggain Bay Arg 26 May. Several reports of breeding from Suth, I&R and A&D but no overall summary available. Probably bred Islay Arg. Usual poor autumn passage: 1 Ythan Estuary NE on | Sep; 8 Blackcraig Hill Ayr 9 Sep; 1 Boddam Shet 10-14 Sep. *American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica 5 singles: ad/lst-summer Fetlar Shet 7-14 May; 1 N.Ronaldsay Ork 30 Aug-2 Sep; ad/1st-s Foula Shet 1-2 Sep; juv at Scatness Shet 13 to 17 Sep; juv Barassie Ayr 7 Oct. Also | Hirta, St.KildaOH 22-24 Sep was not specifically identified and may have been Pacific Golden Plover P fulva. Scottish Bird Report 1990 Golden Plover Charadrius apricaria Winter counts show higher numbers in E with fewer in SW, perhaps reflecting recent run of mild winters. 6,226 Blackness-Gullane L & 2,020 Caerlaverock D&G in Jan; 1,200 Crail F 28 Jan; 1,500 Rattray NE 3 Feb; 583 Findhorn Bay M&N 11 Feb was largest number in area since 1976; 1,300 Shapinsay Ork 18 Mar. Passage of northern ‘altifrons’-type birds seen Caith, Clyde, Ayr, Loth, Bord 24 Mar-30 Apr, max 1,600 Middleton Moor L 29 Mar - 26 Apr and 450 Bardnaclavan Caith 26 Apr with a few birds iseen Shet to 19 May. Breeding: 27 prs Lumbister Shet; 14prs Birsay Moors & 26 prs N.Hoy Ork; 53prs in 22 Km? Lewis peatlands OH; 7-8 prs in 1Km? Glentaggart Cly; 7-8 prs Pentlands Cly/Loth; 9prs Lammer- muirs L; 59 ‘territories’ Bord but better coverage; D&G only 20 territories , particularly scarce in SW (note that Southern Uplands population was estimated at 3,800 prs as recently as 1976). 1,500-2,00 Fetlar Shet 5 Sep; 1,700 Kinnamount D&G 6 Sep; 10,100 Blackness-Gullane L in Oct with 6311 there in Nov; 1,600 The Meetings, Carnwarth Cly 7 Oct; 1,600 St.Peter’s Pool Ork 13 Oct; 3,000 Prestwick area Ayr 15 Oct-13 Nov; 1,200 Anstruther F 28 Oct; 3,045 Inner Forth Cent 4 Nov; 3,500 Ythan Est NE 9 Nov. Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola Few winter in Scotland, mainly Forth & Solway: c400 wintered Blackness-Gullane L max 480 in Mar but 455 still there in May, mainly Aberlady L; c200 Caerlaverock D&G in Feb; elsewhere mostly 1-10 birds but 140 South Ford OH 17 Feb. 1 inland Drumclog Cly 25 Feb was unusual. Few seen after May but small numbers, max 13, | summered Aberlady. | Strong autumn passage, especially M&N, D&G, from early Aug. Rapid arrival of Aberlady flock with 325 there in Aug; 123 North Ford OH 1 Sep: | max 81 Ythan Estuary NE 7 Oct; max 72 Nag Culbin Bars M&N 13 Oct; max 536 Blackness- | Gullane in Oct; 433 Eden Estuary F 16 Oct; max 53} Wigtown Bay D&G 21 Oct; max 63 Montrose | Basin A&D 22 Oct; 651 Eden Estuary 19 Nov; 650) Inner Solway D&G in Dec. Usual scatter of inland records in Oct-Nov | M&N (1 bird), P&K(8), Clyde (5), Bord (1). | ——— R.D.Murray [Ed] 29 Lapwing Vanellus vanellus Early year wintering numbers low but largest numbers in E, fewer in S &W. Best counts were: 1,062 Blackness-Gullane L in Jan; 2,000 Ythan Est NE & 1,972 Inner Clyde Estuary Cly on 14 Jan; 1,000 St.Ola Ork 28 Jan. Small numbers inland, max 300 Gadloch Cly on 13 Jan & 404 L.Leven P&K 28 Jan. Main inland return: Bord, Cent, P&K 27-28 Jan; I&R, Clyde,A&D by 11 Feb; NE, Loth 15 -20 Feb. Breeding: generally point to some decline, par- ticularly in Caith & SW; varied success P&K but lowest-ever Glen Almond WBS P&K; 35 prs Douglas Water & 36 prs in 13.5Km? Medwin Valley Cly; 27prs Carrick Hills, 25prs North Boig & 14-17 prs Gailes Ayr; 48-51 prs Bavelaw L. Post-breeding flocks were early, from mid-May, perhaps reflecting poor success: 1,400 Tullibody Cent 2 Aug; 2,200 West Linton Bord on 12 Aug; 2,000 Prestwick area Ayr 20 Aug; 2,000 Bogside Ayr 30 Aug; 2,500 Staxigoe Caith 31 Aug; 5,000 The Meetings Cly 1 Sep. Wintering birds: 1,230 Doonfoot Ayr 28 Sep; 1,200 Baleshare Ork 8 Oct; 5,110 Ythan Estuary NE 14 Oct; 2,470 Loch Leven P&K 27 Oct; max 2,903 Blackness-Gullane L in Nov; 1,450 Strathbeg NE6Nov; 1,000 Dalgety Bay F 18 Nov; 400 Eden Estuary F 3 Dec. *Great Knot Calidris tenuirostris [1989] 1 ad Scatness & Pool of Virkie Shet 15 Sep was first for Britain. See Ellis (1989) Birding World 2 (9): 313-315 & Ellis (1992) British Birds 85(8): 426-428. Knot Calidris canutus Largest winter numbers mainly in E and SW, especially the Forth: 1,800 Arbroath A&D 6 Jan; 4,400 Forth Est Cent 12 Jan; 1,000 Nairn/Culbin Bars late Jan; 4,500 Kinneil Cent 7 Feb; max 3,260 Blackness-Gullane L, mainly Aberlady in Feb; 1,000 Gilfoot D&G 11 Feb. Numbers very low elsewhere with counts rarely exceeding 100 birds. Most birds gone by end-Mar but 600 Burghead M&N 14 Apr & 7 May; 166 Aberlady in May. 1 inland at Whittlemuir Dam Cly 7 May. Return passage from early Jul - NE, A&D by 15 Jul; M&N, Ayr, Arg 18-21 Jul; Shet, Caith, Cent, OHeb 24-29 Jul. Passage was ‘heavy’ in OH. 3 Vane Farm, L.Leven P&K 15 Sep were only inland birds. Peak movements in Sept but no really large numbers until Oct and only in Forth and Solway: 2,399 Blackness to Gullane L in Oct; 4,300 Inner Solway D&G in Nov; 1,000 Lundin Links F 28 Nov; 4,588 Inner Solway and 4,500 Blackness-Gullane in Dec. Sanderling = re A.Dowell he Sanderling Calidris alba Biggest numbers winter on OHeb - 273 Peninerine 28 Jan, 250 Ardivachar 28 Jan, 480 South Ford on 17 Feb. Elsewhere mostly 1-50 birds except for 280 Balmossie A& D 3 Jan; 130 Tentsmuir F 14 Jan & 80 N. Ronaldsay Ork 28 Feb. Passage strongest in N & W with 180 Barry Burn A&D 22 Apr; 110 Ythan Est NE 2 May; 500 at North Ronaldsay Ork, 100N Rubha Ardvule OH & 400 North Bay OH 6 May; 200 Paible OH on 14 May; 200 Waterfoot, Annan D&G 27 May; 190N past Uisaed Point Arg 9 Jun. Jun/July records make it impossible to demarcate late spring/early autumn birds. Autumn passage from mid-Jul, peaking late Aug: “best for years” M&N; 150 Dunnet Bay Caith 3 Aug; 364 Loch Gruinart, Islay Arg 24 Aug; c550 South Ford OH & 135 Balmedie NE 26 Aug; max 355 N. Ronaldsay Ork 8 Sep; 400 North Bay OH 2 Oct; 380 Peninerine OH 18 Nov. Fewer reports of wintering but record 53 Aberlady L in Dec. Little Stint Calidris minuta c14 spring birds: 1 Musselburgh L on7 May, then 2 Ythan Est NE 15-20 May; 2 Aird an Runair OH 15-16 May; 2 Evie Ork 19 May; 1 Findhorn Bay M&N 21 May, 2 there on 23 May; 1 Strathbeg NE 22 May; 1 Musselburgh L 24 &26 May with 2 there 30 27-31; 1 Castlehill Caith 25 May, with last single there 1 Jun. Poor autumn passage: precise numbers impossible to list. The first birds, mainly ads, were heralded by singles at Strathbeg and Fraserburgh NE 21-22 Jul; 1 Mussleburgh & 1 N.Ronaldsay Ork on 27 Jul and | Kinneil Cent 29 Jul. Mostly 1-3 birds thereafter with 2 peaks in mid- Aug & mid-Sep, the later peak mainly juvs. Best counts: 14 Annachie NE 16 Aug; 17 Caerlaverock D&G 1 Sep; 5 Annachie 10 Sep; max 16 on North Ronaldsay Ork & 10 Pool Of Virkie Shet 23 Sep. Last singles Tyninghame L 16 Oct & N. Ronaldsay on 19 Oct. *Temminck’s Stint Calidris temminckii Earliest-ever report: 1 ad Burnfoot Reservoir Ayr 4 May; 1 Hirta, St.Kilda OH 6-7 Jun. No details of breeding population. 1 juv Toab/Hillwell Shet 25 Sep-6 Oct was the only autumn bird. *White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis 1 N. Ronaldsay Ork 14 Sep. *Baird’s Sandpiper Calidris bairdii 3 birds: 1 juv Annachie Lagoon, Peterhead NE on 6-17 Sep, another juv there 15-18 Sep; 1 juv Dunnet Bay Caith 25 Sep. *Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos 5 spring: 1 Scatness Shet 8 May and 2 Rango Ork 6 May were the earliest-ever; 1 Findhorn Bay M&N 16-17 May; 1 Strathbeg NE 6-10 Jun. 4 autumn: 1 N. Ronaldsay Ork 1-3 Aug; 1 juv Strathbeg 4 Aug; 1 Annachie NE 1-2 Sep; 1 Broad Bay L. OH 17-18 Sep. Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea 11-12 1n spring: 2 Shet, 2 Ork, 2 Caith; 1 OHeb; 2 NE, 3 Loth. First singles Aberlady L & Ythan NE 7 May. Birds appeared further to the north and west on progressively later dates with birds in Loth 7-19 May; M&N 22-25 May; Caith 23 May-1 Jun; N.Isles 28 May-12 Jun and last 1 Hirta, St.Kilda OH 20 Jun. Excellent autumn: passage mainly 19 Jul-28 Oct with peak in early Sep. Scottish Bird Report 1990 Curlew Sandpiper Bernie Zonfrillo First 2 Findhorn Bay M&N 20 Jul. 10 Fair Is 1Sep; 21 Tyninghame L 2-7 Sep; 12 Pool of Virkie Shet 4 Sep; 17 Ardivachan Pt OH 5-6 Sep; 42 Skinflats Cent 6 Sep; 80 Ythan 8 Sep;14 Findhorn Bay M&N 8-11 Sep; 42 Kinneil Cent & c50 Bowhouses D&G 9 Sep; 13 South Ford OH and 10 Newshot Is Cly 13 Sep; 18 Montrose Basin A&D on 14 Sep; 10 Longman I&R 21 Sep; 3 inland at Vane Farm” P&K 25 Sep; N.Ronaldsay Ork 19 Oct. 1 wintered L.Ordais OH 19 Dec. Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima Winter.counts point to a possible decline of this highly site-faithful species, especially during winter 90/91. 74 Whiting Ness A&D 6 Jan; 30 Melby Shet in Jan; 194 Fraserburgh to Rosehearty NE 14 Jan; 150 Ardivachar Point OH 20 Jan; 150 on Evie Ork 12 Feb; 80 Ackergillshore Caith 18 Feb. Passage: 70 Ballintore I&R 9 Mar; 88 Tyninghame L during Mar; max 60 Eyemouth B 17 to 26 Mar; 88 Clachan Mor, Tiree Arg 31 Marto 2 Apr; 250+ Ardivachar Pt 22 Apr; 120 Inverugie NE & max 58 Is of May 24 Apr; 56 Kirkcaldy F 3 May; 150N/2hrs Rubha Ardvule OH 7 May; max 410 N.Ronaldsay Ork 8 May. Breeding: 4 territorial prs: 2 bred and raised young, 1 probably bred, and an empty nest was found. ——— 165 Is of May on7 Aug with 146 there 12 Sep; | { 260 Ardivachar Point OH & 134 North Ronaldsay | 11 Nov; 90 Deerness Ork 18 Nov; 206 Fraserburgh | | to Rosehearty NE & 132 Peninerine OH 21 Nov; | 69 Arbroath A&D 30 Dec. | R.D.Murray [Ed] Dunlin Calidris alpina c2,000 Montrose Basin A&D throughout winter; 1,500 Chanorny I&R 8 Jan; 1,010 Inner Clyde Est Cly 14 Jan; 1,500 Dornoch Firth Suth 18 Jan; 3,750 Findhorn Bay M&N in Jan; 2,000 Priestside D&G 10 Feb; 1,200 South Ford OH 17 Feb; 2,985 Blackness to Gullane L in Feb. Most birds gone by end Mar. Breeding: Few reports as usual: Shet 45+ pairs Lumbister &13 at 2 other sites; Ork 16 prs Hoy &13 at 5 other sites; M&N (1 site); NE (2 sites); Arg (4 sites); Clyde (4prs at 3); Ayr (7 at 3); D&G (11 at 6); P&K (10 sites); Loth (4 at 4); Bordcl1 prs West Water+ 3 at 3 other sites. Low autumn numbers: 2,600 South Ford 26 Aug; 1,600 Eden Est F 16 Oct; 5,000 Caerlaverock D&G Oct/Nov; 2,302 Tyninghame L in Nov; 10,997 Inner Solway D&G & 2,744 Blackness to Gullane . in Dec; 1,825 Eden Est 14 Dec; 2,873 Inner Forth Cent 17 Dec; 1,500 Chanorny 31 Dec. *Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus 1 Kingston M&N 17 Jun. Ruff & Redshank John Busby Ruff Philomachus pugnax 5 birds overwintered from 1989, 1 Don NE, 3 Firth of Forth F/L, 1 L.Ryan D&G. Light spring passage: c26 birds 8 Mar-28 May, max 7 Strathbeg NE 17 May, where 1 summered, & 10 Stronsay Ork 20 May to end-Jun. Good autumn passage from 4 Jul, peak generally early-mid Sep. 31 11 Tullibody Inch Cent on 13 Aug; 13 Highfield Cly 20 Aug; 41 Strathbeg 21 Aug; 11 Aberlady L 23 Aug; 16 NewshotIs Cly 31 Aug; 24 The Meetings Cly 2 Sep; 117 Fetlar & 87 Scatness-Spiggie Shet 6 Sep; 20 Stronsay & 22 Ythan Estuary NE 7 Sep; 42 Evie Ork on 12 Sep; 26 L.Leven P&K 16 Sep; 24 Lochlea Ayr 18 Sep; 33 L. of Strathbeg 23 Sep; 28 Cruden Bay & 22 Rattray NE 24 Sep; 17 N.Ronaldsay 26 Sep; 15 CrailF 1 Oct; 16L.Connell D&G 3 Oct. A few later in Oct but mainly 1-2 birds therafter : 8 at Musselburgh L 11 Nov; 3 Aberlady on 13 Dec; 6 Brodgar Ork 31 Dec were the only parties Jack Snipe Lymnoctyptes minimus 4 Aberlady L in Jan; 4 Kinneil Cent 20 Jan but the main winter area is Clyde with min 20 in Feb, including 11 Blantyre Muir 10 Feb & 8 Paisley- moss 21 Feb, max 13 Blantyre on 31 Mar, with min 23 birds during Aprinc 9 Craigmarloch 7 Apr. Max 6 Balranald OH 21 Mar only other large spring count. Main passage Mar-Apr, with last single at Hill of Olrig Caith 20 May. First singles returned Fortrose I&R 15 Aug and North Ronaldsay Ork 21 Aug. 20 Fair Is 24 Sep; 9 Aberlady L 10-26 Oct; 3 Fife Ness F on 20 Oct; 8 N.Ronaldsay 27 Oct; 18 Blantyre Muir on 1 Nov; 9 Hogganfield L. Cly 7 Nov; 5 Fannyside L. Cly 17 Nov; 10 Balmaclellan D&G 21 Nov; 6 Erskine Cly 24 Nov; 10+ at Logie Buchan NE on 1 Dec; 9 Kinneil Cent 23-25 Dec. Snipe Gallinago gallinago Large wintering flocks: 100 Inverugie NE on 5 Jan; 117 Blantyre Muir Cly 10 Feb; 297 N. Ronaldsay Ork 1 Mar; 104 L.Gruinart, Islay Arg 24 Mar. Breeding: 105+prs at 4 sites Shet, inc 75prs Lum- bister; 18 prs Fair Isle; 19 prs Handa Suth; 19prs at 6 sites Loth; 52+ prs at 34 sites Bord; 40+ prs at 10 sites Ayr. 2,000+ shot Uists OH in autumn. 41S Ardkenneth OH 26 Aug; 130 Martnaham Loch Ayr 1 Sep; 200 Sanday Ork on 6 Sep; 100 Lochwinnoch Cly. 14 Sep; 90 Fair Is 22 Sep; 206 Blantyre Muir Cly 10 Oct; max 600 North Ronaldsay 16 Oct; 180 Newshot Is. Cly 20 Oct; 320+ L.Curlew Sandpiper Bernie Zonfrillo of Hillwell Shet 7-8 Nov; 82 Loch of Clickimin Shet 15 Dec; 60+ Griminish Loch OH = 17 Dec; 60 Wick R. Caith 22 Dec. 32 Scottish Bird Report 1990 Woodcock Scolopax rusticola Few winter reports, mainly 1-2 birds but 15 Skaill Caith 8 Jan and 5 seen both Ork & Ayr. Passage birds to 7-9 Apr on Is.of May & Shet. First display 24 Feb at Dunblane Cent, progres- sively later in north - e.g.29 Mar in NE. Scant breeding reports: Arg 14 terr Taynish NNR; Bute 14 sites; P&K 12 sites; Loth 12 sites; Bord 15 AOTs at 10 sites; Cly 15 AOTs at 10 sites; Ayr 12 roding birds at 5 sites. Widespread late Oct influx with reports of 1-2 birds in many areas with 7 Barns Ness L 20 Oct, 9 N.Ronaldsay Ork , 20 Is of May & 14 Fife Ness F 21 Oct; 5 Stronsay Ork 22 Oct; 8 Balmedie NE 25 Oct; 150 Fair Is 29 Oct. 20 shot Blairgowrie P&K in 2 days. Again winter numbers low, max 10 Olrig Caith in Dec. *Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus 2 birds: 1 juv, moulting to 1st-s Fair Isle 14-15 Sep; 1 juv Sliddery, Arran Bute 15-17 Sep. [1989] 1 Baltasound, Unst Shet lst-w, 6 Dec 1988 to 29 Apr 1989. Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa Winter reports from Ork, Cent, Loth and Ayr, inc 11 Kineill Cent 28 Jan. Good spring passage: 76 Glencaple D&G on 4 Apr; 33 Ness L. OH 26 Apr; 25 Insh Marshes I&R & 201 Eden Est F 27 Apr; 33 1.Gruinart, Islay Arg & i Woodcock Tommy Daniels rh ele 25 Spiggie Shet 29 Apr; 45 at Uyeasound Shet on 1 May; 43 Kinneil 29 May. Usual breeding of L.l.islandica in N.Isles: br3 at new site Shet; br1 West mainland Ork. Low autumn numbers: 15W Highfield Ayr 3 Jul; 13 Fair Is 13 Aug; 11 Lossiemouth M&N 14 Aug; 11 Ythan Estuary NE 25 Aug; 18 South Ford OH 27 Aug; 25 L.Connell D&G 28 Aug; 23 Stronsay Ork 5 Sep; 10 Montrose Basin A&D 6 Sep; 25 at Low Valleyfield F & 19 Shapinsay Ork 7 Sep; 19 L.Mor OH 8 Sep; 185 Eden Est 26 Sep. Last dates mainly late-Sep & early-Oct but 25 at Kinneil 4 Nov, with there 3 into Dec; also 3 Loth, | 1 Ayr, 1+ D&G. Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica Winter numbers strongest in E, poor elsewhere. 1,000+ Tentsmuir F 12 Jan; 440 Balmossie A&D 21 Jan; 200 Kinneil Cent 28 Jan; max 1,020 Black- ness-Gullane L in Feb; max c570 M&N coast in Feb; max c250 at 2 sites Islay Arg. Widespread exodus in Mar, high counts thereafter include 250 Aberlady L in Apr; 115 L.Indaal, Islay | Arg in May; 166 Burghead M&N 13 Jun. Autumn passage very light: 1,019 Blackness to | Gullane and 240 Nairn/Culbin Bars M&N in Aug; 1,000 Tentsmuir F 13 Sep; 600 North Ford OH & 560 Treness Ork 14 Sep; 493 Forth Estuary Cent 4 Nov; 400 Balmossie A&D 11 Nov; 2,025 Inner Solway D&G in Nov and 977 there in Dec. 1,779 Blackness-Gullane in Dec. (q i | R.D.Murray [Ed] Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus Wintering reported from Shet, Cent & Bute. Spring passage from 31 Mar; highest numbers from 3 to 10 May, mainly on W coast. 100 Machrihanish, 60 Tayinloan & 76 Westpoint Arg 3 May; 40 L.of Mey Caith 4 May; 10 Endrick Mouth Cly on 5 May; 22 N.Ronaldsay Ork 6 May; 70 L.Indaal, Islay Arg 7 May; 45 Balranald and 17 Hirta, St.Kilda OH &30 Fishtown of Usan A&D 8 May; 30 Fair Is 8-9 May; 45N Ardrossan Ayr and 30 L. Ryan D&G 10 May; 40 Barrock Caith on 12 May. Breeding: Shet 70-75prs Fetlar, 3prs Lumbister, 6prs Black Park, 1pr Hermaness; Ork 7prs West Mainland, 5prs Eday, possibly bred Stronsay; OHeb Ipr bred, and 2 other prs in suitable habitat. In contrast to spring, the autumn passage was mainly along the E coast: 34 Musselburgh L 23 Jul; 58 Delnies M&N 28 Jul; 37 Pefferside L 1 Aug; 83 Kingston M&N and 90 Tyninghame L 2 Aug; 30 Girdleness NE 7 Aug; 101 from Fraseburgh to Rosehearty NE 19 Aug; 43 Eswick Shet 20 Aug; 23 Stronsay Ork & 46 L.Gruinart, Islay Arg 3 Sep; 42S past Grogarry OH 7 Sep. Last birds mainly away by mid-Sep but 52 Kirkwall Ork 28 Sep and single Tyninghame to 4 Nov. Curlew Numenius arquata 2,200 Widewall & 1,000 St Ola Ork, 550 Laggan Arg & 1,617 Clyde Est Cly 14 Jan; 600 L.Ryan D&G 17 Jan; 1,127 L.Indaal & L.Gruinart, Islay Arg in Feb; 408 Bogside Ayr 1 Feb; 2,400 Wide- wall.23 Feb; 2,456 Wigton Bay D&G 11 Mar. Movement to breeding grounds peaked in mid- Mar with 245 Cameron Reservoir F on 4 Mar; 359 Blairbowie Ayr 10 Mar; 112 Belsron Ayr, 120 Blairdrummond Cent, 242 Scone, 190 Loch Freuchie & 229 Strathallan P&K on 11 Mar but passage was widespread into late Apr. Breeding: 6 prs Fair Is; 29prs N.Hoy Ork; c20prs Lewis OH; 18prs L.Gruinart Arg; 25 prs/13.5 Km’ of the Medwin Valley Cly; 22 prs Carrick Hills Ayr; 21 terr Bavelaw L; 19 terr West Water B. Large post-breeding influx E coast :730 Montrose Basin A&D 15 Jul; 849 Eden Estuary F 21 Jul; 450 Ythan Est NE 25 Jul; 655 Aberlady L in Jul; 1,060 Cramond 13 Aug was record Loth count; 1,176 L.Gruinart/L.Indaal, Islay Arg in Aug; 1,000+ Corsewall D&G 25 Aug; 1,356 Greenan 33 Ayr 26 Aug; 1,800 Widewall Ork 15 Aug-31 Oct; 683 The Meetings Cly 2 Sep, 1,000 there on 7 Oct; 1,249 Blackness-Gullane L in Sep; 292 L.Leven P&K 3 Oct; 3,000 Caerlaverock D&G in Oct but max Inner Solway D&G was only 1,327 in Oct. Winter: 1,172 Inner Forth Cent 4 Nov; 793 L.Ryan 18 Nov. Highest numbers in Ork: 1,000 St Ola from 14-17 Nov, 2,700 Widewall 28 Nov and 1,000 Sandwick 23 Dec. 703 Blackness-Gullane in Dec. Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus Generally a very poor year but more reports than in recent past in Loth, D&G. Mainly singles but 2 L.of Strathbeg NE 7-15 May; 2 Northton OH 9 Aug; 5 Browhouses D&G on 26 Aug; 2 Barns Ness L 29 Aug; 3 Skinflats Cent 2 Sep; 2 Aberlady Bay L 15 Sep; 3 Vane Farm P&K 3 Oct; 3 Ythan NE 7 Oct; 2 Kinneil Cent on 14 Oct; 2 Caerlaverock D&G 27 Dec. Summary: J FMA M J J A S ON D N_Isles 1 Dita 2 lt tid ie etd N.Scot 1 1 baa 2. NE Scot 3 Peel 26 W.Scot Beside es E/E Scovel 1 PO | SE Scot 1 Ke 9) S10;:3 SW Scot 1 etl ele oF Lee OA SS 3 Total D items oes rH denO uses 22 8 Redshank Tringa totanus Largest winter numbers mainly in E. 805 Inner Forth Est Cent 12 Jan; 605 Inner Clyde Est Cly, 720 Ythan Est NE & 700 Kingoodie A&D 14 Jan, 892 Kingoodie 18 Mar; 750 Kinneil Cent 28 Jan; max 545 Blackness-Gullane L in Feb; 2,500 Findhorn Bay M&N 1-30 Apr. Breeding: few reports of interest: 45prs at 1 site P&K where 9prs reared 17 young; 14 prs Bavelaw & 13prs Aberlady L; 26prs at 11 sites Bord inc llprs West Water; 9prs North Boig Ayr. Passage from late Jun: 2 birds S at 1,100m asl over Lurchers, Cairngorms I&R; 2,500 Findhorn Bay 2 Sep; 1,118 Eden Estuary F 21 Sep; 990 Clyde Est 23 Sep (8,000 there in 1970s); 2,692 Inner Solway D&G, 1,401 Blackness-Gullane L, 3,000 Mon- trose Basin A&D & 963 Ythan 14 Oct; 2,590 Inner Forth Cent 4 Nov; 2,000 Montrose in Nov & Dec; 400 Balmedie NE 1 Dec. 34 Greenshank Tringa nebularia Usual few wintering birds: 7 BSC Hunterston Ayr and 6 Ythan Estuary NE on 4 Jan; 7 Tyninghame L 5 Jan; 6 Findhorn Bay M&N 14 Jan; 3 Tarradale I&R 26 Jan-13 Feb; 9 Woodhall Cly 12 Feb with 11 there 12 Mar. Few higher counts during spring passage. Mainly 1-3 birds at most sites between Mar &May. Breeding: Shet min 3prs; Caith possibly 2 sites; OHeb 73-74 prs Harris & Lewis; P&K 4 sites, 2 with young; Arg bred 1 site. 15S past Uisaed Pt Arg 22 Jul-20 Aug; 17 Findhorn Bay 1 Aug; 13 Loch Heilan Caith 13 Aug; record 29 Tyninghame L & max 10 Lochdon Arg 17 Aug; 14 Ythan NE 18 Aug; 7 Duns Dish A&D 25 Aug; 16 Ythan Estuary 1 Sep; 12 Eden Estuary F 2 Sep; 20 Woodhall 7 Sep; max 7 L.Leven P&K 16 Sep; max 6 Skinflats Cent 18 Sep; max 20 L.Beg Arg 21-24 Sep. Most passage birds through by early-Oct with small numbers at usual sites into winter 1990/91 *Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria Ist-yr Malaclete N.Uist OH 20 Oct. Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus 4-5 birds overwintered, max 2 Findhorn Bay M&N until 29 Mar. 8-9 birds during spring passage between 4 Apr-21 May, all singles. Average to good autumn with passage from mid- Jun to early Oct, mainly singles but 5 Kirkton D&G 18 Jul; 3 Tyninghame L 28 Jul; 3 Ugie Valley NE 31 Jul; 3 Lundquharn NE 1 Aug; 3 at Kinneil Cent 14 Aug; 3 L.of Heusbeck Shet & 3 N.Ronaldsay Ork 16 Aug; 3 Kingston M&N 18 Aug; 7 Baron’s Haugh Cly 1 Sept; 3 Largoward F 7 Sep. Last birds mainly late Aug. Winter birds included 3 Wolfclyde to Thankerton Cly 11 Nov and singles at Castle Semple Cly, Findhorn M&N and Holmes Ayr. Summary: J FMA M J J A S ON D N.Isles 84-2 BEDOK N.Scot ] 1 Ire abonr NIEFSCOles) meslyca 2 Vig) 1 W.Scot Dera 1 E/C Scot De NSPe 1 SE Scot 2 1 We Pl SW Scot Ditty: 21) NB 6079 el Ohl ee Aceowal Total St Bt on a Set 23 Sul OO RDS ais eae: Scottish Bird Report 1990 Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola Strong spring passage, c37 birds, 24 Apr-13 Jun. First 1 Kinnaber A&D 24 Apr, mainly singles but 7 Strathbeg NE 6 May where possibly 15 birds sequentially during passage, last 1 there 13 Jun. Breeding: Pr bred 1 site Speyside I&R with single at another site 7 Jun. Summary: J F M A M N. Isles N.Scot NE Scot W.Scot E/C Scot SE Scot SW Scot Total N NO Wloe Be RW >) 1 Doe NO — Set Autumn passage weaker than usual: only 25 birds 1 Jul-23 Sept. Early movements in S with first singles Aberlady L 1 Jul & Shiplaws B 13 Jul before long gap to main movement in early-mid Aug. Mainly singles then but 2 Baron’ s Haugh Cly. 11 Aug & 2 Scatness Shet 6 Sep. Last flurry 21-23 Sep when 1 D&G, 2 Shet and latest single at Cameron Res. F on 23 Sep. Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos Staggered arrival with first 1 Eden Est F 30 Mar; 2 R.Don at Paradisewood NE & Rink B on 1 Apr; 18N/4S Peterhead NE 3 Apr and 1 N.Connell Arg 5 Apr. Then gap until first Ayr, D&G 10-13 Apr; P&K,Cly, M&N by 18 Apr; A&D, Cent, Loth, I&R by 21 Apr; Shet, Ork, Fair Is, OHeb, Caith 30 Apr- 2 May. 19 Skateraw L 29 Apr was, by far, the | largest count of migrants. Breeding: OHeb 38prs Lewis & Harris; Bute 28prs | Arran, well down on 1989; Cly 67prs, inc 34 along | coast; Ayr 56prs at 15 sites, inc 18prs Greenock | Water; P&K l1iprs R.Allan, Kinbuck to Greenloaning; Bord 20prs at 8 sites. Autumn movements from Jul with 40 Montrose Basin A&D9 Jul; 11 L. Gelly F 19 Jul; 12 Kingston | M&N on 19-20 Jul; 16 at Tyninghame L on 3 Aug; | 16 Forrestburn Cly 12 Aug; 20 Machrihanish Arg | 23 Aug. Last Cent, P&K 29-30 Jul; OHeb,Caith by 17 Aug; Cly, Bord, Ork by 9 Sep; Fair Is, A&D by 16 Sep; NE, Arg, Ayr, Shet by 29 Sep, Loth 14 Oct and last 1 Shewalton Ayr 8 Sep-20 Oct. 1 wintering ay Shewalton 1-31 Dec could be same bird. Se R.D.Murray [Ed] 35 Turnstone Arenaria interpres 253 Ayr Harbour Ayr, 698 Fraseburgh-Rosehearty NE and 434 Blackness to Gullane L on 14 Jan; 500 Ardivachar Pt OH 20 Jan; 500 Kilauley OH 17 Feb; still 484 Fraserburgh-Rosehearty 8 Apr. Largest passage numbers N& W Isles: 230 Prestwick Ayr 30 Apr; 300 Fair Is in Apr; 850 Ardivachar Pt & 1,000+ North Bay OH 6 May; 300 Rubha Ardvule OH 7 May; 817 N.Ronaldsay Ork 24 May. Late birds: 121 Is of May in Jun & 200 Musselburgh L 2 Jun. 1 inland Baron’s Haugh Cly 27 Apr. Passage from early Jul but main numbers later: 427 Fraserburgh-Rosehearty 22 Sep; 516 Is of May in Sep; 400 North Bay 2 Oct; 270 Peninerine OH 8 Nov; 700 Ardivachar Pt 11 Nov; and max 472 Blackness-Gullane in Dec. *Wilson’s Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor [1988] 1 Norwick, Unst Shet 11-19 Oct is now considered a juv moulting to 1st-w plumage.. Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus Few migrants: 1 Aird Meadows Cly on 7-9 May; 1 Strand L.Shet 26 May; 1 St.Kilda OH 7-19 Jun. Breeding: Shet Fetlar from 30 May-15 Aug, 12-13 alarming ¢', but not recorded elsewhere; Arg 2 in Jun where bred 1989, but no young reared. 1 L.Sandary OH on 6 Jul; 1 North Ronaldsay Ork 6-13 Jul; 2juvs Noss Shet 14 Aug; 1 Corsewall Pt D&G 8 Sep. Grey Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius 2 spring: 1 1st-w Balioanich Bay OH 12 Jan. 1 Papa Westray Ork 24 Mar. Major influx during Sep gales, mainly in N&W. 98-135 birds OHeb 3-23 Sep, mostly 19-23 Sep; 1 Strathbeg NE 18-24 Sep; 1Machrihanish Arg, 1 Evie Ork & 1 Holm Caith 19 Sep; 1 N.Ronaldsay Ork 20Sep; 4in Dunnet Bay Caith on 21 Sep; then 1 exhausted Ignaness Ork 24 Sep; smaller arrival OHeb 27 Sep; 1 Tiree Arg 8 Oct. Unidentified phalaropes (probably Grey): 1 Tarbet Arg 11 Feb; 1 about 15 miles to E of Bressay Shet 14 Sep; 1 Kilchiaran Bay Arg 22 Sep. Pomarine Skua Stercorarius pomarinus Unusual winter singles at Bogside Ayr 23-27 Jan and Machrihanish Arg 14 Feb. Worst spring passage for some years OH with only 16 birds between 25 Apr-30 Jun, max 6N Aird an Runair OH 23 May. 3 birds Ork 4-12 Jun were the only other spring records. Poor autumn passage, except in vicinity of Forth where good numbers through Forth between Inverkeithing F and Hound Point L. Bestcounts: 31 Hound Pt. 15 Aug, 21 there 24 Sep, 18 Inverkeithing 17 Oct & 25 Hound Pt. 22 Oct. Passage Totals July Aug Sept Oct Nov N. Isles 0 q 13 13 0 N.Scotland 0 2 10 15 0 W & SW Scot 0 0 4 2 0 NE Scot 1+ 6+ 7+ 2+ 1 E/C Scot 1 2 44 37 0 SE Scot 3 56 87 95 4 Totals 5 73+ 165+ 164+ 5 Arctic Skua Stercororius parasiticus Singles L.Tarbert Arg 1 Feb, Irvine Ayr 25 Feb and Arbroath A&D 25 Mar. First Shet 10 Apr; Fair Is, Ork, Clyde 13-15 Apr; NE Scot, Arg, Caith 20-29 Apr. Poor passage in OHeb. Breeding: poor success in the N.Isles continues, perhaps better success to south and west. Colonies Pairs Young MBS Shetland 11 360 38 0.11 Fair Isle 1 105 3 0.02 Orkney-general 8 191 - 0.09 - 0.42 Birsay 1 37 20 0.53 Papa Westray 1 144 16 0.11 Rousay 1 119 82 0.69 Caithness 2 i + - Sutherland 1 25 - 11 Outer Hebrides 13+ 153 - - Only moderate passage with few high counts and largest numbers in east. Peak movements: 41 Hound Point L 15 Aug; 31N/4S Peterhead NE 18 Aug; 43N/2S Girdleness & 31N Newtonhill NE 19 Aug; 19 Arbroath A&D 2 Sept; 14 Pettycur Bay F on 23 Sep; 55 Hound Point L 24 Sep, 26 there 29 Sep. Last Shet, Suth, D&G by 6 Sept; Caith, Ork by 22 Sep; Ayr, Arg, M&N, Fair Is, O Heb, Bute, Clyde 2-14 Oct; A&D, Cent, Bord, I&R 20-26 Oct; Is ofMay, Loth 3 Nov; NE 9 Dec. Last 1 Fife Ness F 12 Dec. Long-tailed Skua Stercorarius longicaudus Worst passage inrecent years OHeb, only 3 birds: IN Aird an Runair OH 9 May & 2N Pollochar OH 11 May. 4singles Ork 22 May-10 Jun & 1 Fair Is 4 Jun; 1 Aird an Runair OH 2 Jul. A IR TAT AUST ITI TLE TE LT GR OE TS 36 Passage totals Aug Sept Oct Nov N. Isles 0 1 0 0 OHeb 0 5 0 0 M&N/NE Scot 2 6 1 0 A&D/Bord 1 1 0 0 Fife 0 10 5 0 Loth 0 27 11 0 Total 3 50 17 0 Largest movement through Firth of Forth between Inverkeithing F and Hound Point L, peak move- ments 10 Hound Point 24 Sep and 6 there 29 Sep. Last 1 Hound Point 22 Oct. Great Skua Stercorarius skua Winter birds mainly in S & W: Shet 1 in Feb; OHeb 2 in Jan; Ayr 2 in Jan, 3 in Feb, 1 in Mar; D&G single on 4 dates Feb. Passage poor with first OH 9 Mar; Arg 16 Mar; Fair Is, Shet, Ork 22-26 Mar. First birds on east coast Apr-Jun. Breeding Colonies Pairs Young MBS Shetland Noss 1 ? 2 0.22 Foula 1 ? 2 0.40 Hermaness 1 ? ? 0.70 Fair Isle 1 73 2 0.70 Orkney -general ih 410 2, u N.Hoy 30 400 25 1.30 Caithness 2 2 0 0 Sutherland 1 80 - 1.20 Outer Hebrides 8+ 99 ? ? Autumn passage very poor. Best counts were from St.John’s Point Caith with SOE on 15 Jul, 98E there 9 Aug and a massive 250E (lhr )there 16 Aug. 74N/7S Peterhead NE 17 Aug; 41N/7S Girdleness NE on 19 Aug; 24N Dunbar L & 16N St.Abb’s B 25 Sept. Last birds mostly Oct & Nov but 1Bord & 6 NE on 9 Dec with latest single Echnaloch Ork 24 Dec. *Mediterranean Gull Larus melonocephalus 16 reports, perhaps only 11 birds. Ad Aberlady L 8 Jan; ad Donmouth NE 1-24 Jan & Girdleness NE 7 Feb; ad at Doonfoot Ayr 11 Mar; ad Aird Meadow Clyde 20 Mar Ad Montrose A&D 5 May; Ist-s at Musselburgh L 13 May, then Ist-w there 19 Jun; adagain Doonfoot 20 Jul; ad Pettycur Bay F 29 Jul joined by another on 2 Aug, with single to 8 Aug; ad Musselburgh 30- Sule Long-staying Ist-s Barassie Ayr 19 Sep to 30 Oct; Ist-w Tyninghame L 20 & 29 Sep; 2nd-w Hound Point L 27 Sep & 27 Oct; ad returned Donmouth from 24 Oct-30 Nov. Scottish Bird Report 1990 *Franklin’s Gull Larus pipixcan 1 2nd-w moulting to 2nd-s L. of Hillwell and L. Spiggie Shet 10-11 May. Little Gull Larus minutus Major concentration in Angus & Dundee and Fife. 50 Tay Estuary A&D 24 Jan, rose to 250 on 4 Feb following gales. 350 inland at Rescobie Loch A&D 6 Apr, with 307 there 17 Apr and smaller numbers nearby. Coastal build-up to 125 Invergowrie A&D 31 Jul, 250 Carnoustie A&D 5 Aug, 212 Arbroath A&D 30 Aug. Passage Fife Ness F 27N on 13 Sept, 23N on 19 Sept, 62N on 6 Oct and 40N there 18 &19 Oct. Scarce elsewhere but note max in SW in midsummer contrasting with E coast. Summary: J FMA M J J A S ON D N.Isles 2 2 erie lawl ce Lagi | N.Scot 1 Phe 1 Wolslesi Heel eect Ltloeel 1 NE Scot* 1 1 {iti ie 1 W.Scot 1 3) Poseurs Dialer BiEScor* PA a ce vac eho S017 Oars SE'Scot-ful 1 \ Sata See S8! 16213 9.3 SW Scot 1 3 Ote See Pia meal * incomplete: * not Ang & Dun Sabine's Gull Mike Ashley *Sabine’s Gull Larus sabini 1 ad Innermessan, L.Ryan D&G 24 Feb was the only winter/spring record. 13 in autumn: passage of adults early, followed by juvs. 1 ad Gullane L 5 Aug; 2 ad between Uig and Lochmaddy OH 8 Aug; 1 ad Ardvule OH 16 Aug; 1 ad Thurso Bay Caith 17 Aug; 1 Frenchman’s | Rocks, Islay Arg 30 Aug; 1 juv Brough of Birsay | Ork 14 Sept; 1 juv Peterhead NE 19 Sep; 1 ad Waulkmill NE 30 Sep; 2 juvs Corsewall Point D&G 6 Oct; 1 juv Aird an Runair OH 8 Oct. R.D.Murray [Ed] Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus Breeding: Shet marked decline to only 4 prs Fetlar, poor success Tingwall; M&N 758 prs at 8 sites; Arg 465 prs at 9 sites; Clyde & Ayr 2,915 prs at 21 sites, inc 1,549 at Cowgill; A&D 6,000 prs Kinnordy; Loth & Bord c2,821 at 9 sites, with 3,780 young at Bavelaw L but no count at giant colony Bemersyde B. Roosts: 4,000 Hirsel B 1 Jan; 3,500 Donmouth NE 8 Jan; 3,000 Hogganfield Cly 21 Jan; 8,000 Musselburgh L 9 Feb; 4,040 West Water B 31 Mar. 9,000 Strathclyde Loch Cly 17 Nov; 4,500 Don- mouth 30 Nov; 5,000 Ferny Ness L 9 Dec. * Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis Singles: 3rd-w Stromness Ork 6 Feb-12 Apr; 1st-s Kirkwall Ork 2 May; 1st-s Stornoway OH on 26 May; 2nd-s Port Charlotte, Islay Arg 13 Jun- 30 Aug; 2nd-s Oban Bay Arg 23 Aug. [1987] 1st-w Balranald Bay OH 2 Nov. Common Gull Larus canus Breeding: Shet colonies fared badly; Ork 1,239 prs at 18 sites; M&N 247 pairs at 9 sites; Clyde 448 nests at 14 sites; Loth & Bord 10prs at 3 sites. No information on the giant NE and I&R sites. Several nests/ colonies on buildings but 1 Loch Lomond Cly on moored yacht was unusual! Roosts: 7,000 West Water B 14 Jan rose to 29, 720 on 31 Mar; 3,000 Musselburgh L 9 Feb; 3,000 Blairbowie Ayr 10 Mar; 5,000 Ythan NE 2 Apr. Then 15,000 Ythan during Sep; 30,000 West Water 11 Nov. Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus Small numbers present Jan-Mar in Arg, Clyde, Ayr, D&G, I of M, Loth, Bord; max 129 Balgray Cly 27 Jan. Arrival from mid-Feb, peaks of 400 Machrie, Arran Bute 18 Mar and 802 Barr Loch Cly 26 Mar. Breeding: Shet/Fair Is numbers very low, many colonies disappeared; Ayr 1,335 nests Horse Is; 618 prs Is of May. Roof nests - M&N 1 nest Elgin ; NE 1 nest Aber- deen; Ayr 2 at4 sites; Clyde45 at 10 sites; A&D several Dundee; Fife 840, many on roofs, Rosyth Dockyard;Loth 8 at 1 site Edinburgh. Biggest roosts in west with 300 Cordon, Arran Bute 20 Aug; 790 Hogganfield Cly 10 Sept; 600 Balgary Cly 1 Oct. 37 Last Shet, Fair Is, Ork, Caith, OHeb by mid-Sept but scattered birds in south into Dec. The races fuscus and intermedius are mainly re- ported from north and west during the passage periods. Herring Gull Larus argentatus Counts of 1,000+ birds noted NE, A&D, Cent, Loth, Clyde & Bute during Jan-Apr but largest were 3,100 Arbroath A&D 6 Jan; 2,000 Newton Ayr 21 Jan; 4,000 Summerston Tip Cly 17 Feb; 1,450 Fannyside Loch Cly 13 Apr. Breeding: Very poor in Shet, Fair Is; declines noted Suth, NE Scot, A&D, Is of May, Bord. Roof-nests noted: Cly 3prs Glasgow ; Ayr 12 prs at 2 sites; Fife 250 prs Rosyth Dockyard ; Loth 5 prs Edinburgh . 4,000 roost Barassie Ayr 17 Sep; 4,200 Horse Is Ayr 12 Oct; a massive 16,000 Strathclyde Loch Cly &1,500 Gadloch Cly 17 Nov; 2,000 Ferny Ness L 9 Dec; 6,000 Gailes Ayr 15 Dec. Birds resembling L.a.argentatus, 1 Newton Ayr on 27 Mar; 1 Grogarry OH 2 Apr; 1 St.Kilda OH on 9 &16Jun; North Ronaldsay Ork 8 May, 1-3 birds there 3 and 21 Sep; 1 at Stromness Ork on 4 Oct; 3 Shewalton Ayr 31 Dec. Herring Gull D.G.Mitchell Yellow-legged Gull L.a. cachinnans Note now to be treated as a separate species! Singles at Kirkwall Ork 14 Feb-3 May, another there 17 Jul and 1 The Loons Ork 12 May; 3rd-s Ullapool Suth 17 Jun; 1st-w Doonfoot Ayr from 25-28 Sept. 38 Scottish Bird Report 1990 Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides Mainly singles but 13 at Ullapool I&R on 4 Jan; 12 Ardmair I&R 5 Jan; 16 Ullapool 2 Mar, 11 there 12 Apr. Also 7 Frazerburgh NE 25 Mar. Summary: J FMAM J J A S ON D IN-Isles:) “10:9. Os DO) ile ol. 2) ale 3 5-10) 10 N.Scot 25 4 36 14 3 IWiISleSe lt le ele eee nae, 1 1 NESScote 4 245-2 2 Le W.Scot Sire r 2 1 E/C Scot 1 3 1 SE Scot 2 1 SW Scot<(5"°5 10. 45.3 2 * incomplete * Kumlien’s Gull L.g.kumlieni Usual bird returned to Banff and Macduff NE for 6th consecutive winter between 5 Jan and 26 Mar. Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus Best counts: 7 Ullapool I&R 2 Mar and 8 Loch of Cliff, Unst Shet 21 Dec. Summary: J F M N.Isles 10 8 23 N.Scot 3 W Isles 2 NE'Scot* 6 3 W.Scot 1 4 1 1 10 BHBnaz rs ww — ron 8 2 4 4 E/C Scot 2 3 SE'Scot. 5 SW Scot 6 * incomplete Glaucous x Herring hybrid 1 at Inverness I&R on 1 Mar; 1 Doonfoot Ayr 31 Oct. De Seb wo aie 11 Greater Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 2,000 Fair Is 16 & 22 Jan was by far the biggest winter assembly, no other exceeding c150 birds. Breeding: Shet c207 prs but poor success with high chick mortality e.g. 70 ads Giltarump had 11 live and 18 dead young; Ork 646 prs with mixed success but more declines; Caith 6prs; Suth 34 prs Handa, a sharp decline; I&R pr bred Spey Dam; Bute/Ayr 63 nests at 4 sites. Large autumn numbers mainly in E; 1,200 Strathbeg NE 27 Jul, 3 Aug & 2 Nov; 268 The Goosepools A&D 21 Aug; 1,200 Lossiemouth M&N 25 Aug; 1,000+ over Leuchars A&D 28 Aug; 1,800 Findhorn M&N 18 Sep; 250+ Eyemouth B 24 Sept; 350N Ardivachar Pt. OH 11 Dec. Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla Breeding: Shet another disastrous season. 6 colo- nies that had 19,325 nests in early 1980s had declined to 11,095 by 1990 (42% drop).Success rates were incredibly low e.g. 25 young from 7,000prs Noss and many colonies in E &S had no young atall! Average rates in more successful areas were c0.5 young/nest. Fair Is perhaps 2 young from 1,363 nests, the poorest season ever; Ork reasonable season with success rates 0.62-1.07 and losses due to weather and predation rather than food; Suth, increase of 17% from 1988 with 1.43 young/nest; OHeb declines in counts, 1,672 at 11 sites where 2115 at 9 sites in 1989; Mor & Nairn slight drop Covesea but 1.7 young/nest; NE Scot Numbers stable but low success, 0.61, at Fowlsheugh; Is of May record 8,129 nests but only 0.17 sucess rate, partly due to weather; Bord 17,642 AONSs St.Abb’s, decline of 7.5% with poor suc- cess, 0.63. Odd inland reports but nothing suggestive of the” numbers that must cross Scotland when the passage between the Forth and Clyde is considered; e.g. 38E at 400m asl Erskine Bridge Cly 11 Mar or 1,600 in 3hrs Hound Point L 18 Oct. Very light passage OHeb but 14,000N Peterhead NE 5 May; 8,000N Girdleness NE 2 Oct were largest passage counts whereas 4,500/hr Eyemouth B 30 Jul probably only involved local breeders. * Ivory Gull Pagophila eburnea 1 Lerwick Shet 10 Dec & 18-20 Dec. * Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica [1968] 1 Aberlady 22 Mar now not considered | acceptable. * Caspian Tern Sterna caspia 1 ad Doonfoot & Martnaham L. Ayr 4-6 Aug, also Kerse Loch 6 Aug. Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis 2 wintered Stronsay Ork & | Bass Rock L 4 Jan. First 1 Spey Bay M&N 18 Mar; 1Donmouth NE | 19 Mar; 2 Stevenson Pt Ayr 25 Mar; 2 St.Andrews | F 28 Mar; first Loth, D&A, I&R on 1-2 Apr, then | | lof May, Suth, Caith 5-7 Apr, Bord 10 Apr; D&G, | Arg, Bute, Clyde 15-18 Apr. | Best passage: 68N Arbroath A&D 24 Apr; 100 Donmouth NE 29 Apr. R.D.Murray [Ed] 39 Breeding: few in N & W; Ork c170 prs at 3 sites raised 0.5-0.6 young/pr; NE Scot 121 prs Strathbeg raised only 6 young (0.05/pr) while 1,126 prs at Ythan raised 900 (0.8/pr); Is of May 3 prs, 1 pr bred but chick lost, was the first breeding since 1956; Loth 418 nests Inchmickery, 50% increase over 1989 when numbers low. Biggest autumn numbers in E; 1,000 Musselburgh LinJuly, 610 Aberlady L 19 Jul; 2,400S Fishtown of Usan A&D 11 Aug; 130S past Girdleness NE on 25 Aug; 1,000 Musselburgh 28 Sep. Last Clyde, Shet, Suth, Arg by 5 Sep; Bute 17 Sep; Bord, Caith, M&N, D&G 10-14 Oct; NE Scot, Ayr, A&D, Fife 18-23 Oct. Last singles Loth & Ork 1-6 Nov. None wintered. Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii Breeding: Loth none Inchmickery but 5+ prs and 13 young ringed on another Forth island; Is of May 1-2 birds amongst Arctic Tern colony 24-31 May. Only 13 other reports: 1N North Bay S.Uist OH on 6 May; 1 Carnoustie A&D 11 May. | Kinnaber D&A7 Jun; 2 Aberlady Bay L 17 Jun & 20 Jun; and 2 Tyninghame L 25 Jun. Autumn: singles Anstruther F 1 Jul; Pettycur Bay F on 5 Aug; Kirkcaldy F 8 Aug; 1 Musselburgh L 12 Aug; L.Ryan D&G on 13 Aug; Port Edgar L on 15 Aug; then last 2 Inverkeithing F 5 Oct. Common Tern Sterna hirundo First 1 Staxigoe Caith 6 Apr; 1 St.Abb’s B 9 Apr; then Fife, Is of May 20-24 Apr; Shet, NE, Ayr, D&G 26-29 Apr; Arg, Loth, Fair Is, Suth, OH, A&D 1-5 May; Clyde, Bute 6-9 May. No exceptional passage but 2 ‘portlandica’ types- lst-s Machrihanish Arg 2 Jun-24 Jul. Breeding: Shet total disaster, no young anywhere; Fair Is 7 prs (lowest-ever) failed; Ork only low numbers, c49prs, with some success; Caith no reports of success; Suth only 6 young known to fledge; I&R 4Oprs laid Eigg but abandoned, no food; Arg 1,247 clutches in 14 sites produced 519- 619 young but 77% eggs & 95% young hatched from the 3 largest colonies; M&N _ only 35 prs Bogmoor, where 250 in 1986, was deserted and 31 prs Kinloss only fledged 3 young due to predation; NE Scot 445 prs at 3 sites but only St.Fergus had any success, 2 being deserted; Is of May c220 prs highest total for years but abysmal success, with only 6 young. Smaller numbers elsewhere in south but no information on success. Many birds left early after failures. Flocks, usually mixed with Arctic Tern: 420 Delnies M&N 13 Jul; 460 Findhorn Bay M&N 28 Jul; 693 Ruddon’s Pt F 31 Jul; 900 Tentsmuir F 2 Aug; 250 Spey Bay M&N 4 Aug; 302 Elliot A&D 5 Aug. Last Fair Is, Caith, NE, Suth by 11 Aug; Clyde, Bute 23-27 Aug; Bord, I of May, OHeb 5-19 Sep; Ork, Ayr 10-14 Oct; Fife, Loth, Shet 21-30 Oct. Last 1 Bruichladdich Arg 6 Nov. Roseate Tern Steve Brown Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea First 1 Findhorn Bay M&N 7 Apr; 1 Handa Suth 10 Apr; 2 Deerness Ork 14 Apr; Bord by 23 Apr: NE Scot, Shet 28-30 Apr; Ayr, OHeb, Fife, Fair Is 2-4 May; Loth, A&D, Clyde 6 May; Caith, Bute, 40 Arg from 9-18 May. 500 Yell Sound Shet 9 May; 200 Quinish, Mull Arg 18 May. Breeding: Shet continued decline - c8,000 prs, a reduction of 75% from 1980 and 50% from 1989, only a few bred and few chicks hatched, even less fledged; Fair Is 400 prs produced only 1 fledgling; Ork c11,400 birds in 4 sites but these and other colonies fledged very few young; bad weather and heavy predation blamed; Caith c450 prs produced min of 3 fledglings; OHeb fewer sites and birds noted; Arg 338 clutches at 11 sites, produced some 112 fledged young, 89% of the young were in the two largest colonies; M&N failure due to food then predation at Kinloss; NE Scot 507 prs St.Fergus produced only 4-6 nests with young. 3,000 Graemsay Ork 20 Jul, 300 Findhorn M&N 14 & 27/28 Jul; 380 Kingston M&N on 28 Jul; 300 Aberlady L 6 Aug; 480 Goosepools F 10 Aug. Last Clyde, Suth, Arg, Ayr by 24 Sep; Caith, Fife, Bute, Bord, OHeb 5-9 Oct; Fair Is, NE 12-17 Oct; Loth, Ork 26-28 Oct; last 1 Unst Shet 3 Nov. Little Tern Sterna albifrons 2 Ythan NE 28 Apr; 4 Gosford L 1 May; reached Shet, Suth, OHeb by 3 May; A&D, Ayr 5-6 May; I&R, Fife, Arg 9-14 May; Caith 20 May. Breeding: poor season: Caith .10 prs, 17 young; Suth 7 prs, failed; OHeb c74 prs, some success; Arg c44 prs was low, some young; M&N no pairs bred; NE 33 prs, 4juvs; A&D 12 prs, 2+ juvs; Fife none bred; Loth, 11 prs, 6 young; Ayr, no attempts; D&G, 5 prs raised 11 young. 22 Fishtown of Usan A&D 19 Jun was only large number reported. Last Fife, A&D 13-15 Jul; I&R 21 Jul; Caith, Loth 4-5 Aug; Ayr, NE 16-19 Aug; latest 1 Arran Bute 6 Oct and 1 L.Indaal Arg 26 Oct. Black Tern Chlidonias niger 5 spring, 2 summer, c67 autumn. Singles Druidibeg OH and Bavelaw L on 17 May; 2 Gladhouse L 18 May; 1 Savoch NE 7 Jun. Then 1 Ardvule OH 27 Jun; 1 Anstruther F 28 Jun. Good autumn, espin SE, mostly Loth with 5-6 birds Cramond L 4-14 Aug; 3 (3hrs) Hound Point L on 18 Aug and 3N Eyemouth B 12 Sep. Last 1 Kilbirnie L. Ayr 23 Oct. Scottish Bird Report 1990 Summary: J FMA M J J A S ON D N.Isles Nia N.Scot eS W Isles Meee NE Scot* Tessie | coat Uatan E/C Scot* 1 peg Sy SE Scot 3 2 MS a SW Scot Diy Deal Total Ay Se we 28.5 * not complete, * not A&D * White-winged Black Tern Chlidonias leucopterus 1 ad North Loch, Sanday Ork 24 May; then 2 Inverkeithing Fife 30 Sep. Guillemot Uria aalge Several accounts of wrecks of emaciated birds and oiling, mainly from Arg, N and N_Isles in winter &spring and from NE Scot in autumn &winter. Breeding: further reductions in colony totals but success generally near average. Colony Counts % Change MBS Shet Noss 972 -12% 0.63 Sumburgh 7,724 ° -19% Hermaness 13,200 -15% elsewhere Shet -9%-29% Ork Marwick 0.59 Mull Head 0.68 Papa Westray 0.77 Fair Isle ? -27.6% 0.72 Suth Handa 0.64 NE Longhaven 428 -0.5% Is.of May 12,632 -9% 0.78 Loth Forth Is 4,128 -25% Bord St.Abb’s 28,942 -6% Movements: 1,220 Beauly Firth I&R 24 Sept; 1,200/hr SE past Corriecravie, Arran Bute 14 Oct; 600 Hound Point L 18 Oct; 1 eee Pirnmill, Arran Bute 22 Oct. Many inland during mid-Oct: 2 Loch Lomond Cly, 5E Strathfarrar I&R, 2 L.of Menteith Cent 20 Oct; 1 Dumgoyne Cly 21 Oct; several Upper Forth Cent 22-25 Oct; 1 L.Leven P&K 27 Oct. Razorbill D.G.Mitchell | \ ] | —— R.D.Murray [Ed] 41 Razorbill Alca torda Largest wreck ever Shet in Feb with 204 dead on shore; many (4.7/km of shoreline) recorded inshore NE Scot during Mar/Apr, associated with high auk mortality. 150 Dunnet Bay Caith 25 Apr. Remarkably little data on breeding: Colony Counts % Change MBS Shet Noss -11% Troswick Ness -14% Hermaness -20% Eshaness -36% Fair Isle 0.55-0.69 Suth Handa 0.68 Is.of May 1,508 -9% 0.76 Loth Forth Is 228 +5% Bord St.Abb’s 1,684 birds -4% monitored plots 723 prs -8% 200 Lochalsh I&R 14 Aug; 200 St.Andrews F on 15 Sep; 275N (in 2 hrs) Turnberry Ayr on 24 Sep; 150 Whitefarland, Arran Bute 28 Nov and 250/hr Pirnmill Arran Bute 9 Dec. Black Guillemot Ceppus grylle Breeding: Shet 6% drop monitored sites on Noss but stable Yell Sound; Fair Is 0.73 young/nest; Ork slight increase to 1.1 y/n Holm of Papay (c1.4 in 1985), reduction continues Papa Westray but 1.2 to 1.7 y/n was good, 248 birds N.Ronaldsay census; M&N br2 at 1 site; NE Scot br1 Muchalls, poss bred; Bute 4 sites Arran; Ayr 4 sites; D&G 2 sites. Clyde 22 prs Renfrewshire & 8pr Dunbartonshire in complete census. 42N (2hrs) Uisaed Pt Arg 10 Aug; 54 Sound of Gigha Arg 24 Sep; 1187 in 3 sites Shet 17-30 Oct is record count; 80+ Chapeldonan Ayr 11 Nov. Odd birds A&D (2), Fife (2), Loth (2-3) in Apr and Nov-Dec. Little Auk Alle alle 290N-1S Peterhead NE 4 Jan was exceptional. Standard small numbers Shet & Ork (max 20 birds) with only odd birds all round coast to Mar/Apr. Last 1 Arbroath A&D 25 Apr. First 1 Boddam NE 6 Aug was really early. Then singles Shet & Ork 18/19 Sep; Arg, Loth, Ayr 23-24 Sep. Small numbers Oct/Nov before major influx mid-Dec. The arrival was initially in NE on 9th, then in SE by 15-16th and post-Christmas in Ork/Shet: 2,336N Girdleness NE (3 hrs) & 191N at 3 sites Fife 9 Dec; 102 Fraserburgh NE and cSON/hr Eyemouth area B 16 Dec; 837 Kirkcaldy F, 260W Fisherrow L and 200 Musselburgh L 17 Dec; 100 (2hrs) Gosford L 18 Dec; 89 on sea St.Abb’s B 19 Dec; parties c20 Shet 20/21 Dec but several hundred ashore on 25&26 Dec with 67 dead on Beached Bird Survey. Taxonomic analysis of Shet and NE Scot corpses suggests presence of high Arctic race A.a.polaris from Franz Josef Land. An uneventful winter on W and SW coasts with only the usual small numbers. Puffin Fratercula arctica Very few winter reports , often limited to tide-line corpses. The over-winter survival for Is of May birds was the lowest on record since 1973/74. Main colony arrivals from late Mar, but mostly 5-10 Apr, which was late. Breeding: Shet success was relatively low but a little better than 1988 & 1989, at 2 sites (totalling ¢52,000 prs) 30 of 46 monitored chicks survived to fledging but season was late; Fair Is 0.57 young/ nest was the lowest since records began in 1986; Ork had a very poor season with many empty burrows and few young; Suth census on Handa Island shows a 53% decline since 1989; Is of May 0.66 young/egg laid was lowest on record. The poor season was attributed to two main causes; small fish in Shet and Ork, while both Fair Is and Is of May had flooding after storms. Bord dead chick St.Abb’s is first confirmation of breeding at that site. Many areas mention dearth of records and high winter mortality. Gales in Shet in Dec had un- precedented numbers of dead with many birds ringed in the Forth and Farnes. * Pallas’s Sandgrouse Syrrhaptes paradoxus Shet; Ad male Quendale area 19 May-4 Jun and also at L.Spiggie 22 May. See Osbord & Suddaby 1990 Birding World 3 (5):161-163. Rock Dove Columba livia (inc Feral Pigeon) Little data on breeding but numbers suggest some post-breeding assemblies and winter movements. Largest: 500 Balhaldie P& K 21 Jan; 900 Blackford Glen L 4 Feb; 1,000 Is of May 3 Oct; max 400 Scousburgh Shet and peak Fair Is 70 on 8 Nov; 42 Scottish Bird Report 1990 Stock Dove Columba oenas Winter flocks typically small (<20), largest counts 70 Dairsie F 2 Jan; 70 Cameron Res F 17 Feb; 100+ Bishopton Cly 3 Mar; 60 Starlaw L 19 Dec. Several reports of breeeding in Tawny Owl and Goldeneye nest-boxes. Records from Fair Is 21 Apr and St.Kilda OH on 23 May & 9 Jul where rare. Woodpigeon Columba palumbus Winter flocks: 1,000 birds Birgham B 6 Jan and Duffus M&N 7 Jan; 1,200 at Kelso B on 27 Jan; 1,000 Kilspindie L 1 Feb; 3,000NE Leuchars F on 12 Feb; 1,000 Mill of Earn P&K 17 Feb. Usual small numbers breeding on N & W Isles: 6 Nunton, Benbecula OH 2 Sept was largest Uist flock for many years. Fewer at end of year: 700S Cademuir B 4 Dec; 1 E E F 22 Dec. ,300 Eden Estuary ec Woodpigeon John Busby Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto Small numbers (<10 birds) of migrants reported from edges of range where scarce, N & W Isles, Suth, Arg, Apr-Jun; max 14 Fair Is 28 May. Largests flocks (15-30) as usual in autumn but 165 Auchterarder P&K 29 Oct was exceptional. Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur 1 overwintered Helensdale Shet, last seen 4 Mar. c 60 in spring; 19 in.autumn. First 2 Tiroran Arg 6 May; 1 L.Vaa I&R and 1 Saddell Arg 11 May. First Suth, Ork 12 May; Loth, Shet 14-19 May; D&G, Fair Is 23-27 May; A&D, OHeb, NE Scot, Is of May 1-7 Jun. First 1 Fair Is 11 Sep; influx, mainly singles, Shet, Fair Is, Ork, NE Scotland until 26 Sep; 1 Threave D&G 7 Oct; 1 Shet & 2 Ork 13-15 Oct with last bird Fair Is 20 Oct-1 Nov, the latest-ever there. *Ring-necked Parakeet Psittacula krameri 1 West Kilbride Ayr 5 Jun. Cuckoo Cuculus canorus 1 Cardrona B 29 Mar was exceptionally early. 1 Lomond Hills F 10 Apr; 1 New Galloway D&G 18 Apr were more usual. First Arg, Bute 23 Apr; NE Scot 26 Apr; Loth, Bute, P&K, Suth, I&R 29-30 Apr; Cent, M&N, A&D, OHeb, Ork 1-4 May; Caith, Cent, Shet 5-9 May; Is of May 20 May; Fair Is 2 Jun. Coastal & island migrants were very scarce. Breeding: few comments on numbers of singers; continued decline Melvich Suth; 14 Eigg I&R where 18 in 1989; 24 Arran Bute; c20 Ayr is stable; ‘good’ numbers D&G; 50 Bord is stable. Peak count was 10-12 Glen Esk A&D. Usual scattered reports of juvs, followed by usual stragglers: none Fair Is: last Caith, Ayr, M&N, Shet by 28 Jul; Bute 14 Aug; Arg 16 Aug; Is,of May, Ork © 24-26 Aug; Loth, Bord 3-11 Sep. Lates singles Cruden Bay NE 7 Oct & Main of Usan A&D 11 Oct. Barn Owl Tyto alba Some concern about ad hoc introductions but judged to be more numerous than the scarce sight- ings suggest, esp in east. A&D, Fife, Loth: no breeding reports. I&R, M&N, NE Scot, Cent; 1-4 breeding reports but limited sightings; Bord 4 breeding records but seen min 55 other sites; Arg 16 prs, 9 bred +16 other sites; Arran Bute 5 prs, 2 bred + 5 other sites; Ayr 12 prs bred + 9 other sites; D&G 62 prs bred, many successfully. 1 white-breasted bird resembling T.a.alba over- wintered Houb, Whalsay Shet from 1989, was last seen 12 Feb; another Castletown Caith 17 Feb & Reiss Caith 18 Nov, may have been the same bird. 1 dark-breasted bird resembling T.a.guttata Burray | Ork 23-25 Oct. Scops Owl Otus scops [1988] 1 Collafirth Shet 9 Jun. *Eagle Owl Bubo bubo 1 Arduaine Arg, all year, first seen Jul 1989. A definite escape. , i | : | $ ' ~ R.D.Murray [Ed] 43 *Snowy Owl Nyctea scandiaca Shet 2 2 Unst & Fetlar all year. A Ist-w 3&'Scatness & Sumburgh 22 Sep and Virkie 25 Nov-1991; Fair Is ad 3 12-18 May. I&R &MKN, Pvarious sites Cairngorm Plateau on 17 May-18 Aug, o Ben aBhuird 28 May. 2 potential pairs but ships that pass in the night ! *Little Owl Athene noctua D&G none present at the usual breeding site; Loth reported from usual site in E.Loth, no dates; Bord singles Kelso in Jun and Bowhill in Dec. ‘ Hh ~ “y ot] ‘ Be! i] fy fei 7 ue 57a fi tA PH Pe ee i bar ry a ’ 4 ‘ a 4 Mi r ee yl iI Ay pi Zz ‘iy « Tawny Owl Tommy Daniels Tawny Owl Strix aluco M&N 9 prs raised 15 young; P&K 5 prs with 13 young, 10 other prs known; Arg 43 prs study site Glenbranter reared 43 young (1.64 MBS) also 19 other territories; Ayr 14 prs raised 35 young also 8 other known prs; D&G 14 prs -18 young; Loth 3 prs -4 young + 31 other sites; Bord 6 prs - 11 young + 77 other sites. Overall brood size, 0.8. Long-eared Owl Asio otus Roosts: max 7 Halligath, Unst Shet Jan, Feb & Apr; 7-8 Berstane Ork Jan-Mar; but good numbers N. Isles, otherwise usual small numbers (1-2) birds in east and south. 4 Binscarth Ork 2 Dec. Few spring migrants only 3 Is of May & 2 Fair Is. Breeding Caith 1 site; Suth 2 sites; Arg & Bute 7 sites, 3 bred; Ayr, D&G 8 sites, 4 bred; M&N & E Scot 13 sites, 9 bred; A&D, Fife & P&K 5 sites, 4 bred; Loth & Bord 17 sites, 7 bred. Small scale movements (13 records) Aug& Sep, with max 3 Is of May 19 Sep, but main passage (c61 records) from Oct to mid-Nov on E coast from Shet to Bord, max 4 Is of May 29-30 Oct. Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus Thinly scattered in lowlands in winter; 2 roosts (4 birds) Ork Feb; 5 Balmedie NE in Jan; Kilrenny F Jan-Mar; 9 Bogton L.& 5 Bogside Ayr Jan. Movements mainly Mar in south, Apr in north, with passage Is of May & Fair Is to 26 May. Breeding: Ork 23 prs, 3 nests fledged 9 chicks; Caith 2 prs with young; OHeb 34 prs, 16% fledged with ‘fair’ success; I&R did not breed Eigg. Arg 4 prs Mull, only 2 bred-‘a poor’ year; Bute had 5 sites Arran, 2 nests/7 chicks; Ayr 16 prs, poor vole year in some areas; D&G generally ‘good’ numbers with vole high later in year, peak 15 Car- sphairn 15 Aug; M&N 9 sites; A&D 7+ sites; P&K 18 sites, 1 nest/8 chicks; Loth 5 prs, 1 nest/ 4 chicks; Bord 57 sites, 57 terr, 14 broods, 6 nests/ 13 chicks, vole high -‘good’ numbers. Poor passage on E coast, only 4 Shet, c10 Fair Is and limited numbers Ork to Bord. No significant winter reports. Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus First singles D&G 24 May; then Arran, Arg on 27 May, 1 Lambden Bord 5 Jun & 1 at sea aboard BP Forties Rig 5 Jun. Breeding: Arg, confirmed 4 sites; Bute, 3 males at 2 sites Arran; D&G, intensive searches revealed many more birds than ever found before, numbers & sites withheld. Ayr 2 Mochrum in Aug. Last D&G 12 Aug. Swift Apus apus Spring: 1 Martnaham L. Ayr & 1 Auldhame L on 29 Apr; 1 Tweedbank B, 1Valleyfield F 30 Apr. First D&G, P&K, NE Scot 1-3 May; A&D, Cent by 4 May; Ork 6 May; Shet 7 May; M&N, Arg 8 May; Caith 10 May; OHeb, Bute, Fair Is 28-30 May. Highest May numbers in east, 70 Martnaham Ayr 7th; 90 Coldstream B 14th; 200 Loirston L. NE 16th; 100 Gladhouse L 17th; 100 Duddingston L 18th; 138 Kilconquhar L. F 23rd. Autumn: main outward passage late Jul-early Aug max- 550 Loch Gelly F 23 Jul; 260 Eyemouth B on 29 Jul; 500 North Berwick L 31 Jul. Last Cent, Arg, A&D P&K by 31 Aug; OHeb; Bute, Caith, Fair Is, NE Scot, Fife 5-6 Sep; Is of May, I&R 7-9 Sep; D&G 11 Sep; Shet 12 Sep; Ayr, Loth 15-19Sep; M&N 23 Sep. 1 Eyemouth B 2 Oct and 1 S there 25 Oct were extremely late. 44 Kingfisher Alcedo atthis An extremely good year with reports of high numbers, double-broods and range extension (esp in I&R , M&N, NE) presumably in response to the run of mild winters. I&R 2 sites; P&K 6 sites, | bred; Cent 3 sites; Ayr 9 sites, 5 bred; D&G 7 sites, 1 bred; M&N 3 sites; NE Scot 11 sites, 2 bred; A&D 5 sites, 1 bred; Fife 8 sites, 5 bred; Loth ‘many’ sightings, 4 bred; Bord 19 sites, 3 bred. * Bee-eater Merops apiaster 2 Vidlin Shet 9-13 May; 1 Starnafin Farm, Strathbeg NE 12-13 Jul. * Hoopoe Upupa epops 3 in spring: 1 Upper Largie, Kilmartin Arg 29 Mar; 1 Brighouse Bay D&G 5-6 Apr; 1 Mid-Yell & Gutcher Shet 5-14 Apr. 7 in autumn, mainly in E: 1 St. Andrews F 8 Sep; 1 Stronsay Ork 23 Sep; 1 Elgin M&N on 29 Sep; 1 Sanday Ork 12 Oct; 1 NaimI&R 18 Oct - 1991 may have been Elgin bird; 1 Ancrum B 2-11 Novy; 1 Fearn I&R 22 Nov. * Wryneck Jynx torquilla Poor passage, only 9 birds. First 1 Fair Ison 7 May; 1 Vidlin Shet on 13 May; 1 Stronsay Ork 14 May; singles Fair Is 21, 23,& 26 May, with 2 there on 9-10 Jun and last there on 13 Jun. Breeding: song from 20 May;1 pair+3 singing & Strathspey I&R; 1 &@ sang near Braemar NE in Jun. No evidence of success. Autumn also poor, 12 birds: 1 North Ronalday Ork 25 Aug; | Fair Is 31 Aug; 1 N.Ronaldsay on 4 Sep; 4 Whalsay & Skerries Shet 4-6 Sep; 1 Fair Is7 Sep, 2 there 16 & 22 Sep. Green Woodpecker Picus viridis Scarce and local within Scottish range but most common in S&E. Some indication of increase & spread in P &K, A&D but irregular in Arg with fewer reports Bord. I&R 8 sites, 1 bred; M&N 6 sites, bred 1; A&D 15 sites, bred 6; P& K bred 5 sites; Fife ‘common’, 15 sites, bred 3; Cent 7 sites, bred 1; Loth 23 sites, bred 4; Bord 15 sites is drop from usual 24-30, in spite of intensive Tetrad Atlas fieldwork. Scottish Bird Report 1990 Great Spotted Woodpecker Robert Gilmour iN, Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major No spring migrants. Breeding: Paucity of detailed reports but total lack of reports from N &W. A&D increasing, 10 sites, bred at 4; Loth 35 sites drop from an inflated 45- 47 during Atlas work of 1987-89), bred at 2; Bord 55 sites, bred 4 (inflated by Atlas fieldwork from 23-40 of 1985-89). 5 territories noted at Killiecrankie P&K and Hirsel B. Movements: small numbers Shet, Fair Is, Ork and W.Isles 17-18 Aug; several Shet, FairIs, with peak Ork, including 4 N.Ronaldsay Ork & 2 Caith from 24-29 Sep. Odd birds on E coast with several off | the sea NE to Bord 14-25 Oct; few birds N & W | Isles and NE into mid-Nov. Birds at Fife Ness 18 Oct identified as nominate | subspecies D.m.major from Scandinavia. * Short-toed Lark Calandrella brachydactyla Spring: 2 singles, 2 Fair Is 9 May & 27 May-6 Jun. | Autumn: 3 singles at Isbister Shet 1 Oct and N.Ronaldsay Ork 3 Oct & 5-12 Oct. [1983] 1 Fair Is 2-5 Oct. jl | { ! ( Skylark Alauda arvensis Wintering flocks < 100 birds widespread in SW: 200 Highfield Ayr 8 Jan; 500 Musselburgh L on) 27 Jan; 700+ Ardivachar OH 4 Feb; 300 Lecropt) P&K 16 Feb were largest. . (a Hard weather movements due to snow: 220 Braco P&K 28 Jan; 330SW Dunblane Cent 15 Feb! Passage: Ayr, P&K_ 1 Feb; Fair Is, Bord by 11 gos: Ork, Shetin late Feb. Peak mid-Mar: 300 St.Fergus, R.D.Murray [Ed] NE early Mar; 244 North Ronaldsay Ork 14 Mar; 450 Fair Is 20 Mar. ' Breeding: Fair Is 115 prs; Ork 35-40 prs N.Hoy; Suth 40 prs Handa; but little data on breeding SUCCESS. Autumn passage from late Aug, peaking end-Sept: 1,000 Laggan Arg 26 Sept; c1,000 Hillwell Shet on 29 Sept; 425 Fair Is 6 Oct. Passage light on east coast, mostly <100 birds. Movements across North Channel to Ireland seen Mull of Kintyre Arg 1 Oct and Corsewall Pt D&G 7 Oct. Small numbers thereafter: 700 Holywood D&G in Nov and 350 Tyninghame L in Dec by far the largest flocks. Fewer reports winter 90/91. * Shore Lark Eremophila alpestris 1 Tyninghame L from 1989 to 10 Feb was only bird until summer male Altens NE 15 Apr. 2 Scrabster Caith 16 Nov only winter record. Sand Martin Riparia riparia First 1 Caerlaverock D&G 15 Mar; 1 Hensol D&G and 1 Musselburgh L 17 Mar. Influx 18 Mar: 20 Corsewall Pt D&G, 2 Culzean & 2 Martanham Ayr, 15 birds at 4 sites Loth; singles Carsebeck and White Moss P&K. First NE , Cent, Bord by 20 Mar; M&N on 30 Mar; A&D 2 Apr; Shet 9 Apr. Few birds until mid-Apr: 125 Lindores F 8 Apr; 120 Martanham Ayr 17 Apr; 100 Gladhouse L 27 Apr. First Fair Is, Ork 1 May; OHeb 4 May. Breeding: No great change in numbers except 15% drop in P&K - comments suggest a reasonable, extended season. Largest colony was 670 burrows Barbush Cent. 200 Martanham Ayr 6 Aug; 150 Hensol D&G on 8 Aug; 200 Kinnordy A&D 4 Sept; 600 Lindores F 20 Sept. Late birds: 20 L.Etive Arg, 6 Gartmorn Cent 21 Sept; 5 Prestonpans L 22 Sept; 1 Strathbeg NE 26 Sept. Last singles N.Ronaldsay Ork 14-16 Oct. Swallow Hirundo rustica Exceptionally early, with first 3 Ayton Castle B on 17 Mar & 1 Culzean Ayr 18 Mar, then 3 Ayr Ayr on 22 Mar, | Rubislaw Quarry NE on 23 Mar and 20+ Martnaham Ayr 24 Mar. Odd birds as far north as Caith and Ork by 4-8 Apr. Main influx late Apr with mass arrival in SE 28/29 Apr. Arrival in north delayed until about 10 May, 45 passage to 4-6 Jun at N.Ronaldsay Ork and Fair Is. Breeding: good season for many areas; double broods SE, N.Isles and OHeb; Fair Is first breeding since 1982; Ork triple brood Birsay; Arg many young. Good autumn passage: 200 Machrihanish Arg on 30 Jul, 750 Leuchars F 6 Aug, 300 Graemeshall Ork 14 Aug, 800 Lochgelly F 16 Aug, c3,000 roosting Strathbeg NE through Aug, with c1,000 L.Watten Caith 22 Aug, 500 Glenlochar D&G on 11 Sept, 300S at Coney Glen Arg 24 Sept and 180 St.Abb’s B 1 Oct. Smaller numbers Oct last birds Shet, Fair Is, NE, Ayr and Ork 17-31 Oct, with last Arg, Fife, Loth 13-18 Nov and latest 1 L.Katrine Cent 27 Nov. *Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica 1 spring: 1 Sumburgh area Shet 2-4 May. 2 autumn: 1 North Ronaldsay Ork on 18 Oct, 2 Tyninghame L 27 Oct. House Martin Delichon urbica Extremely early with 2 Maybole, 1 Martanham Ayron 15 Mar; 2 Corsewall Point D&G 18 Mar; 1 Don Estuary NE 19 Mar; 1 Dunglass B 31 Mar; 1 Ballinluig P&K 1 Apr; 150 Lindores F 8 Apr. Few then until end Apr/early May. Again few large flocks: 50 Gladhouse & 50 Threipmuir L on 16-17 May; 50 Fair Is 6 Jun. Breeding: OHeb St.Kilda 1st breeding but failed; M&N & P&K high altitiude colonies in Glenlivet at 350m and at Dalnaspidal at 435m; Loth count of 229 cliff-nests E.Loth survey. Late brood fledged Arran Bute 4 Nov. Autumn passage light in north, main movement in south was early: 120 Gladhouse L, 180S Macaroich Arg 26-27 Jul; 350 Dalmeny L 10 Aug; 260 at Eddleston B 14 Aug; 3,360 S (1 hour) Eyemouth B 23 Aug. Few Oct with last birds P&K, Fair Is, Ork & Cent by 10-25 Oct; D&G, M&N, Shet, Loth, Bord by 30 Oct; latest NE Scot 10 Nov, Bute 11 Nov and last 1 Islay Arg 13 Nov. *Richard’s Pipit Anthus novaeseelandiae 9 autumn birds: 2 Fair Is 24 Sep; 1 Quendale Shet 29 Sep; 1 Donmouth NE 3-10 Oct. Main arrival 13-22 Oct: 3 Fair Is, 1 Ork, 1 Caith, 2 NE, 2 Loth. Further singles Fair Is 26 Oct & 1 Nov. 46 *Tawny Pipit Anthus campestris 1 Fair Is 20-26 May was the only report. *Olive-backed Pipit Anthus hodgsoni Exceptional year with 22 birds: 1 Fair Is 23 Sep, other singles there 25/26 Sep; 1 Sumburgh Shet on 26 Sep; 1 N.Ronaldsay Ork 29 Sep; 1 Stronsay Ork & 1 Fair Is 1 Oct; 1 Whalsay & 2 Kergord Shet 3 Oct; 2 Vidlin Shet 5 Oct; 1 Geosetter Shet 6 Oct. Many birds remained several days. Hiatus until singles Fair Is on 16, 18, 20 Oct; with 1 Cruden Bay NE 20 Oct; 2 Fair Is 24 Oct; 1 N.Ronaldsay and 1 Sumburgh 27 Oct; last 1 Whalsay 29 Oct. = Olive-backed Pipits in Scotland 1968-90 VIMATL DADO DAA ADAM 68 70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis 1 extremely early at Montreathmont A&D 18 Mar. 1 Wood of Cree D&G & 1 Hamilton Low Park Cly 4 Apr; 30 Leadaig Arg 6 Apr; 2 Ross, Arran Bute 7 Apr were more normal. General arrival 16-22 Apr in Bord, Loth, Ayr, P&K, Cent M&N, OHeb. None N.Isles until 1-9 May when max 15 Fair Is 3 May. Peak 6 Is of May 16 & 17 May. Breeding: numbers higher in W: 93 terr Taynish NNR Arg and 29 Wood of Cree D&G, compared to 30 birds at 15 sites Bord or only 4 sites NE. Cly bred on 8 of 11 islands in L.Lomond. Good numbers over Tay reedbeds P&K in late Jul/ early Aug. Last birds Loth, Bute, M&N, NE & Ayr by 3 Sep. Passage of continental birds weak, only 15 Shet, c10 Fair Is, 11 Ork and 8 Is of May. Latest 1 St.Abb’s B 18 Oct; 1 N.Ronaidsay Ork on 19 Oct and 1 Scalloway Shet 25 Oct. *Pechora Pipit Anthus gustavi 1 reports: 1 Scalloway Shet 25 Sep. Scottish Bird Report 1990 Cuckoo & Meadow Pipit Tommy Daniels Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis Surprisingly unreported in Jan with only good numbers in SW where many overwintered Ayr and D&G. Except for 24 Balgray Cly 27 Jan & 50 Tibbermore P&K 10 Feb in hard weather move- ments, main passage was 16-18 Mar in SE, where 1,800 at 6 sites in Loth & Bord; 19-25 Mar in SW; 24-29 Mar in Ork & OHeb; and 10 Apr on Fair Is. Movements on Fair Is & Is of May to mid-May with 200 Fair Is 12 May. Little breeding data. Early movements in N with 500 Foula Shet on 20 Aug; 800 Fair Is & 500 N.Ronaldsay Ork 26 Aug. Later inS&W: 400 Is of May 4 Sep; 500 Waterheads Cly 10 Sep; 500 St.Abb’s B 11 Sep; 460 (4 hrs)past Uisaed Pt Arg 23/24 Sep; 1,024 past Balnamoil Arg 23/25 Sep; 200 Glen App Ayr 24 Sep. Smaller nos into Oct/Nov but still 300 Carrick Hills Ayr 2 Nov. *Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus | Only 2 birds: 1 Fair Is 29 May, another there 2 Oct. | al i } | | Rock Pipit Anthus petrosus | c100 Machrihanish Arg, 50 Creeklands Ork, 20+) Troon Ayr, 40 Tyninghame L and 35 St.Abb’s B | are best Jan/Feb counts.Some evidence of passage: | 82 N.Ronaldsay Ork 20 Mar, 114 there 4 Apr. | i Breeding: Suth 26prs Handa; Cly first breding’ Renfrewshire at Lunderston Bay; Loth 3-4 Bass Rock; Bord 1 1prs St.Abb’s CBC & 38 pulli ringed from 9 nests in 1Km coast Eyemouth. Few reports N.Isles in autumn but 40 Sandside Caith 7 Oct; 45 Tyninghame L 20 Nov; 50 Kirkton I&R 22 Nov; 82 Portgordon M&N 16-20 Dec. | R.D.Murray [Ed] Scandanavian Rock Pipit A.p.littoralis Only identifiable in field in spring: 1-3 birds seen Fair Is, Fife, Ayr, Loth, Bord in Mar/Apr. 1 late bird Shet 26 May. Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava 6 Eyemouth B 13 Mar was unprecedented but fitted _ exceptionally early birds in southern Britain 1 Fife Ness F 15 Apr; 1 Springhall B on 28 Apr; 2 Skateraw L on 29 Apr; 1 Gilmertoun Cly on 30 Apr; & 1 Fetlar Shet 3 May were more typical arrivals. Breeding: Cly 3 prs at Gilmertoun; Loth 2 prs Eweford; Bord 13prs bred, inc 7prs+3 unmated o Tweed at Springhall. _ Light autumn passage, mostly Sep: with 3 Shet 6 Fair Is, 2 Ork, 1 Caith, 3 Ayr, 1 Arg, 5 Fife, 3 Loth and 6 Bord. Last 1 Eswick Shet 16 Oct and 1 Barns Ness L on 26 Oct. 4 DH a. AY SSINI Up Yy Paes. OSS: gus Hh, ¢ N Blue-headed Wagtail M f flava 1 Starnafin NE 7 May; 1 Balranald OH 18 May. 19 Eweford L and 26 & 12bred Springhall B were paired to flavissima mates for the second consecu- tive year. Grey-headed Wagtail M f.thunbergi: 1 Strathbeg NE 7 May; 3 singles Fair Is from 15- 30 May; 2 singles Hirta, St.Kilda OH 21-29 May; 1 Is of May 22/23 May; 4 Shet 27-31 May with another 14 Jun. -_ *Citrine Wagtail Motacilla citreola 1 Fair Is 27-30 Aug was earliest-ever. Another _ Fair Is 11-13 Sep with 1 Quendale Shet 29-30 Sep. 47 Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea Few winter records, mainly singles, especially in SW. Return early-mid Mar. Breeding: numbers generally considered good. Bred Shet, probably bred Ork. High level birds seen Cairn Lochan 1,200m asl & Braeriach 1,200m as] I&R in May & Jun. Usual light utumn passage: 7 Strathbeg NE 24 Aug; 15S (hr) at Irvine Ayr 12 sep; 8 (3 hrs) past Uisaed Pt Arg 23 Sep. 1-2 birds Fair Is on 15 days 30 Sep- 12 Nov. Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba Few birds winter outwith SW - only 2 Ork, 1 Caith, 4 OHeb, 3 Bord but 48 Sliddery, Arran Bute 7 Jan; 100+ Irvine Ayr 10 Jan; 60 at 2 sites Clyde 21 Jan; 60 L.Ken D&G 30 Jan and 190 roosting Airthey Cent 16 Feb. Main return late Feb to early Mar: 34 Reston B on 10 Mar; 52 Taynish Arg 19 Mar; 37 N.Ronaldsay Ork 4 Apr; 102 Gladhouse L on 14 Apr; max 50 Is of May 22 Apr; main passage Fair Is from7 Apr to 21 May. Breeding: little data - Shet 4prs; Ork c26prs; D&G 18prs Cree where first broods did well but wet conditions depression second brood production. Good autumn passage in N &W, less so in S&E: 450 Abbotsinch Cly 13 Jul; 300+ roost Loanhead L, 30+ Kyle Academy Ayr 25 Aug; 100+ Sumburgh Shet, 105 Fair Is 26 Aug; 150 Spey Bay M&N on 29 Aug; 100+ Kingsbarns F early Sep; 250 Fintry Cly from 8 to 13 Sep; 250 Johnstone Cly 18 Sep; 245 Fountainhall B 28 Sep; 400 Kirkcudbright & 300 Carsluth D&G 30 Sep. Few winter records. White Wagtail M.a.alba First 1 Reston B 19 Mar; 2 Benbecula OH 29 Mar; 1 Kirkwall Ork 30 Mar. Most birds mainly early Apr with peaks of 10 at Baron’s Haugh Cly 13 Apr and 20 Barns Ness L on 29 Apr before late pasage in W where 50+ Bracken Bay Ayr & 15 Handa Suth 1 May and 50+. Machrihanish Arg 4 May. Few in autumn when identification more difficult: mainly 1-2 birds in the E but 11 Cobbinshaw L on 23 Aug; 8 Machrihanish 15 Sep & 6 Heads of Ayr Ayr | Oct. 48 Scottish Bird Report 1990 SA TE EN a SO A OP SS: NOD BOP SE ORIN OPPOSE CCC PAP CR OT PC Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus Winter 89/90: A few birds were present, mainly in January, from the small-scale arrival in the autumn of 1989. Some movementis indicated over 1-11Jan as small numbers moved through the N.Isles, maximum 9 Lerwick Shet on 5 Jan. Elsewhere there were mostly small parties of 1-10 birds passing through, the only long-stayers in the northeast with 9 Aberdeen NE on 1&4 Feb, 16 Buckie M&N 20 Feb-10 Mar, 30 Aberdeen on 8 & 12 Mar. The latest birds were: 4 Dundee A&D from 10 Mar-7 Apr, 5 at Portsoy NE on 11 Aprand 1 at Perth P&K on 21 Apr. In the autumn the first 7 were seen at Thurso Caith, heralding a major inva- sion, on 30 Sep, 2 weeks ahead of the main influx. As in previous years the invasion moved through Scotland from the N and NE. The vanguard, c70 birds, passed through the Northern Isles from 12 to 18 Oct with 14 Forfar Loch A&D on 14 Oct and singles on the Is of May on 18 Oct and at | Fife Ness F on 19 Oct. | ot The main arrival was more or less simultaneous along the E coast on the 20/22 Oct with around 100 birds in N. Isles, 35 Caithness, 12 Sutherland, 34 in the northeast, 27 Lothian and 15 Borders. Arrivals, especially in the west, were mainly between 30 Oct and 15 Nov as birds moved out of the north. The build-up of numbers, occurred in the east, with the peak probably around 15 to 20 Nov with 300-400 in the northeast and arounc. 250 in Lothian. The picture is confused by wandering flocks as birds locally exhausted the food supplie: (mainly Rowans Sorbus sp.) and moved on. 1990 Jan Feb Mar Apr N.Isle 29 W Isles N.Scotland 23 NE Scotland 12 W.Scotland E/C Scotland U SE Scotland 13 SW Scotland 3 58 Waxwing : 4 Steve Brown tt Some flocks in the rural northeast appear to havi moved south while others gradually filtered inti Aberdeen towards the end of November, peaking ii} the city at around 300 on 26 Nov. The decline i. the northeast matched the build up in Edinburgh (t Qualitative Assessment of Waxwing Influxes 1967/68-1990/91 Source: SBRs Invasion | Good influx cos 0% Moderate | F& Year BS Poor Year 61 “60 Ti “73 a5 La Dts 33 “35 7 89 68 70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86 89 90 ee ip c800) and Fife (c260) in late Nov and early Dec while the peak in Glasgow (c500) and the Clyd_ (c300) was mid-to-late Dec as numbers in the ea} began to fall. | Colour-ringing in Aberdeen had a minimum of, | returns from Edinburgh, proving that onwart movements did occur. There were also a number ( later reports initially from northern England ar) then later from southern and central England ( 1992). _R.D.Murray [Ed] _49 Dipper Cinclus cinclus Many local counts but little comparative data. Numbers very low I&R after spring floods. Possi- bly bred Ork. Black-bellied Dipper C.c.cinclus 1 Frakkafield Shet 31 Oct-1 Nov; 1 Stornoway OH 10 Nov. Wren Troglodytes troglodytes Territories: Fair Is 31 (same as 1989 but 39 in 1988) ; OHeb St. Kilda, 145-157 on Hirta, 10+ Dun & 120n Boreray; Arg 190 Taynish NNR; P&K 78 Killiecrankie; Cly 20% decrease Lochwinnoch CBC, 29 nests Erskine Wood reared 94 young — (3.2y/n). _ Poor passage: 5 Fair Is on 3 dates 13-24 Apr and _ only 4 Girdleness NE in autumn. Dunnock Prunella modularis _ Light spring passage: 5 singles Shet 1-22 Apr; 1 to \ 3 on 21 days Fair Is 1 Apr-5 May; 1-2 birds 7 Apr- _3 May N.Ronaldsay Ork, max 3 on 14 Apr. _ Breeding: Ork 25 AOTs; Cly 20 Baron’s Haugh; Loth 30 Aberlady (28 in 89); Bord7 St.Abb’s CBC (8 in 89), _11+N.Locheynort OH 29 Sep; 30 Burnmouth B on _ 30 Sep; 6 at Girdieness NE late Oct; 4 singles Shet 6 Oct-5 Novy; 4 singles on Fair Is 20 Oct-30 Nov; | 12 birds on 3 days N.Ronaldsay 24 Oct-3 Nov. | | Robin Erithacus rubecula _ Spring passage was light but movements from late _ Feb in N. Isles: 3 Tiree Arg 31 Mar; 10-15 Is of _ May 1/2 Apr; 1 Balivanich OH 3 Apr; 5 St.Abb’s _B8 Apr; 4 Whalsay Shet & 17 Fair Is on 20 Apr; 2 Rattray NE 23 Apr; 2nd peak Is of May with 10-20 birds on 20/22 May. , Breeding: Arg 99 OATs Taynish NNR; P&K high / nos juveniles; Cly 15% decrease Lochwinnoch _ CBC; Loth 31 at 2 CBCs where 26 in 1989; Bord _ 17 at Pease Dean CBC, 15 in 1989. _ 12St.Abb’s B 18 Aug; 50 St.Abb’s, 30 Bummouth | B & 20 Is of May on 30 Sep; 38 Heads of Ayr Ayr "1 Oct; mainly light passage in N but 100 Fife Ness | | F & 150 Arbroath A&D 20 Oct; 50 Skateraw L on _ 21 Oct; 30 St.Abb’s 22 Oct; 30-50 daily Is of May 18-23 Oct. | | *Thrush Nightingale Luscinia luscinia | 1 Is of May 19-20 May was the only report. / *Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos 6 spring: 1 Girdleness NE 3 May; 1 Balcomie F on 5 May; 1 Fair is 8-13 May with other singles there 12 May & 21 May; 1 Kergord Shet 19-21 May. [1989] 1 West L.Tarbert Arg 25 May rejected by SBRC. *Biuethroat Luscinia svecica 22 spring, 13 autumn reports. 1 Isof May 12 May; 1 Whalsay Shet 13 May; 1 N.Ronaldsay Ork 14 May; 3 Fair Is 21-23 May; then 2 Shet, 10 FairIs & singles Ork, St,KildaOH, Cruden Bay NE & Is of May from 28 May-11 Jun. 1 Goular OH 21 Jun was late. 1 Eswick Shet 6 Sep; 1 Scatness Shet and 3 Fair Is 16 Sep; then 2 Shet & 4 Fair Is 17-30 Sep. Latest birds 1 N.Ronaldsay 5 Oct and 1 Whalsay 20 Oct. Black Restart Phoenicurus ochruros No winter reports. First 1 St.Abb’s B 9-13 Mar. Long gap until 2 Is of May 29 Mar &1 on 2/3 Apr. 2 small influxes followed - 19-27 Apr when 1 Ailsa Craig Ayr, 2 Is of May, 1 Sumburgh Shet and 1-2 daily Fair Is; then on 3 May when 1 Shet, 1 Fair Is, 1 Ork, 1 NE and 1 A&D. Stragglers in Loth 21May, Is of May 6 Jun & Fair Is 9 Jun. Long autumn passage with several pulses: 1 Gladhouse L 13 Jul and 1 Fair Is 22 Jul were early. 1 Is of May 1 Aug; 1 Coire an Lochan (950m), Cairngorm I&R 3 Aug; 1 Elie F on 3 Sep; 1-2 birds on 3 dates SE 20-24 Sep and peak 13 Is of May 29 Sep. Main passage 14 Oct-11 Nov: 12 Shet, 1-3 daily Fair Is, 14 Ork, 1 Caith, 1+ in NE, 2 A&D, 4 Fife, 2 Is of May; 1 Loth, 3 Bord and 1 Ayr. No wintering records. Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus 1 Whalsay Shet 13 Apr was early. 1 Glen Afton Ayr 20 Apr; 1 Thornhill D&G & 1 Killiecrankie P&K 24 Apr. First Is of May, Loth, Bord, Cly, Arg 28-30 Apr; Ork, NE, Fair Is, Shet, A&D 1-5 May. Passage was generally light, mainly 1-2 birds, max 4 Fair Is 13 May and 1-4 birds Is of May 5-17 May. Breeding: M&N 17 terr; NE 8 terr; P&K 18 Killiecrankie; Cent 54 nests Trossachs fledged 203 young, was down on 1989; Arg 72 terr Taynish NNR; Bute 3 terrs; Cly 27 at 8 sites; Ayr 44 tert, inc 50 Scottish Bird Report 1990 15 Glen Afton; D&G 34 terr Wood of Cree; Loth 10 sites; Bord 48 at 40 sites. Dispersal from 12 Julin Cent , A&D & Is of May. 10 Cumbernauld Cly 18 Aug but last inland P&K, Arg by 29 Aug; Cent, Ayr, Cly by 3 Sep and Bord 13\Sep: Generally poor passage: only 17 Shet on 14 dates max 7 Fair Is 24 Sep; 5 Ork; 3 NE; 2 Fife; 5 Loth; 17 Bord, max 5 St.Abb’s B 30 Sep. Max 6 Is of May 13 Oct. Several late Oct birds in N but last singles Quendale 1 Nov and Eswick Shet 6-8 Nov. Whinchat Saxicola rubetra 1 An Sithean, Islay Arg 15 Apr; 1 Tarfessock Ayr 19 Apr; odd birds in W but main influxes Bord, Loth, Is of May 29-30 Apr; D&G, Fife, I&R, M&N by 2 May; Fair Is, Ork, NE on 3 May; A&D, P&K, Shet by 5 May. 1 Ben Macdhui plateau, Crairngorm NE 3 May was interesting. No large falls, max 5 Fair Is & 4 Is of May. Breeding: Arg 25 territories Colonsay; Bute 2 1terr Urie, Arran had a min 23 juvs; Ayr 17 prs; P&K 13 L.Lednock; Loth 15 terr; Bord 159 at 48 sites, inc 22 Heatherhope. Last inland birds: 22 Little Glenshee P&K 7 Aug; Cent, Arg by 18 Aug, Bute, Loth, Bord by 7 Sep; I&R, Cly by 16 Sep. 13 Is of May 29 Aug reflects this movement. 1 St.Kilda OH 20 Sep; but passage light Sep/Oct. Last Bord 1 Oct; Fife 10 Oct; Is of May, NE, Loth by 14 Oct; Shet 24 Oct; Ork 31 Oct and latest-ever singles Fair Is 11 & 26 Nov. Stonechat Saxicola torquata Passage birds, mainly mid-Feb to mid-Mar, but to Aprin N: approx 2 Shet, 10 Fair Is, 3 Ork, 6 A&D, 1 Is of May, 9 Loth, 8 Bord, 4 Ayr. Breeding: Recent upsurge in success continues: Ork 101 prs (85 in ‘89); Caith 13 sites; Suth widespread and common; M&N 21 prs; NE Scot 22 prs; A&D 1 pr; P&K 15 prs; Cly 17 prs; Ayr 27 prs; D&G “now at a high level”; Loth 6 prs; Bord 3 prs. Re-establishent of resident , coastal and migratory, inland populations noted, especially Ayr, M&N and NE Scot but still only inland in SE Scot. Good success with many second broods. Widespread passage Aug to Nov, mainly 1-2 birds. Wintering on coast in M&N, NE Scot, A&D. Eastern Stonechat S.t maura/stejnegeri 1 spring: 1 Ist-s Fair Is 28-30 Apr. 5 autumn: | Fair Is 26-28 Sept; 1 N Ronaldsay Ork 14-16 Oct; 1 Scatness Shet 18-21 Oct; 1 Hatton Airfield A& D 22 Oct; 1 Cruden Bay NE 21 Oct. Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe 1Eyemouth B 6 Mar was fairly early; 1 Stevenston Ayr 13 Mar; singles Arg, Loth, NE by 14 Mar; then odd birds 15-17 Mar but definite influx 18-25 Mar with 10 Ayr, 8 Cly, 14 D&G, 26 Bord, and first birds Bute, A&D, P&K, Caith, Fair Is. Peaks: 75 Papa Westray Ork 24 Apr; 30 St Abb’s B 29 Apr -2May; 40 Is of May & 17 Westhaven A&D 30 Apr; 300 Fair Is 1 May; 15 St Kilda OH 2 May; 33 Rattray NE and 140 N.Ronaldsay Ork 6 May. data. M&N coastal breeding now unusual; D&G num- | bers decreased Fleet Valley. | Autumn passage from early Jul, mainly late Aug/ | early Sept with peaks of 20-30 Is of May on 25- | 29 Aug; 298 N.Ronaldsay 25 Aug; 250 Fair Is on | 26 Aug & 5 Sept. Mainly 1-2 birds elsewhere, max 15. Small scale passage to 30 Oct. Few Nov with | 3 Shet 5-8 Nov, 1 Bord and 1 Ayr 11 Nov and last} Fair Is 7Oprs, normal breeding success; | 1 L Ryan D&G 27 Nov. Greenland Wheatear 0.0.leucorrhoa 22 spring birds, 2-13 May. 2 Shet, 1 Arg, 1 A&D i 3 Is of May, 2 Clyde, 1 Loth, 12 Bord. 2 in autumn: 1 Tweedbank B 16 Sept; 1 Coll Arg 25 Oct. | *Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica 1, western race O.h.hispanica Howmore Quarry, S. Uist OH 23 Apr. \ | | *White’s Thrush Zoothera dauma 3 records: 1 Sumburgh Shet 22 Sept; 1 dead St. Abb’ B 26 Sept; | Stronsay Ork 3 Oct. *Swainson’s Thrush Catharus ustulatus | 1 Fair Is 30 Sept-6 Oct, was first Fair Is and secon Scottish record. ! Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus | 1 juv Balnamoil Arg 24 Jan was most unusual. | First 1 Killpallet L/B 19 Mar then a few 25-28 Mi with 1 Shet, 1 P&K, 1 Loth, 6 Bord, 1 Ayr, 1 D& 1 Is of May. | | Breeding: Many local counts but little comparative | | ! ES } | si ~ R.D.Murray [Ed] - Movements, mainly 1-2 birds, continued Shet, Fair Is, Ork, Is of May to mid-May. Breeding: Few substantive counts: M&N ‘good numbers’ in glens; A&D 19 L. Lee 27 May; Loth local reductions; Bord 38 teritories at 19 sites; D&G ‘not plentiful’ Stewartry Hills. Quieter autumn; only 2 Shet, 5 Fair Is & 7 Ork. Few large parties, max 6 Cruden Bay NE 30 Sept; -4 at St Abb’s B 20 Oct; 4 Skateraw L 25 Oct. Last 1 Is of May 3 Nov; 1 Newshot Is Cly 5 Nov & 1 Eaglesham Cly 13 Nov. Blackbird Turdus merula ~ Small numbers overwintered Shet and Fair Is. . Light spring passage; 13 Tweedbank B on 13 Feb; 8 N.Ronaldsay Ork 28 Feb; 10 Girdleness NE on 17 Mar; 20 Mull of Kintyre Arg; 50 Fair Is & max 8 Is of May 18 Mar; max 4 Balranald OH 16 Apr. Breeding: Stable numbers, with good success, _ many counts but comparative data needed. -Main movements from mid-Sept but large scale passage from mid-Oct; 200 N.Ronaldsay 14 Oct; - 450 Fair Is 18 Oct. _ A huge influx 20 Oct with 2,000 Arbroath area A&D, 1,000’s at Fife Ness F, 300 Barns Ness L, 600 St Abb’s B & 400 Is of May. 1,000+ St Abb’s, 302 N.Ronaldsay, 95 Boddam NE 21 Oct; 500 Fair Is 22 Oct; 200 Cruden Bay NE 25 Oct; 300 Sum- ) burgh &100 Whalsay Shet 26 Oct: 200 Bridge of - Dee NE 27 Oct. Small numbers after early Nov _ with light pasage in west. _ *Black-throated Thrush Turdus ruficollis _1imm mN.Ronaldsay Ork 26-28 Sep. | _ Fieldfare Turdus pilaris | High numbers overwintered, especially in N. Many flocks of 200+ reported but largest flocks c1,000+ _ Clachan M&N in Jan; 450 Inchmichael P&K 5 | Jan; 3,000 Gullane L 7 Jan; 440 Reston B 15 Jan; ,, 550 Saline F 16 Jan; 600 Threipmuir L 19 Jan; 543 | Viewpark Cly 15 Feb; 300 Gulberwick Shet on | 17 Feb; 400 Menmuir A&D 18 Feb. _ Numbers distinctly smaller to W & SW. | Spring movements extremely light in N.Isles, | much heavier in S with 220 Crieff P&K 28 Mar; - 220 Muirkirk Ayr 1 Apr; 1,000 Harperigg L 8 Apr; ,, 500 Fair Is, 500 Cairmmorrie NE on 13 Apr; 500 | Skelfhill & 2,000+ Bowerhouse B 15 Apr; 800 Lauder & 250 Hillhouse B 22 Apr. | } 51 Last birds Ayr, Cent, A&D, D&G, Arg, Loth & OH 23 Apr-10 May; Bute, Is of May by 20/21 May; Cly, Bord, 30 May; Ork 1 Jun with stragglers Shet to 15 Jun and 1 Fair Is 16 Jun. Breeding: bred Suth and NE and prs seen Caith, elsewhere in NE. Single birds seen A&D and Bord (2). Autumn passage: 1-3 birds Fair Is 28 Jul-3 Aug; 2 Shet 14-15 Aug; 1 NE 18 Aug; 1 Loth 21 Aug and 4 Ork 21-27 Aug. Odd birds Fair Is, Loth, Bord to mid Sep then more substantial influxes with first Is of May, A&D on 11 Sep; M&N, Ayr, Arg, OH 23-26 Sep. First large-scale passage 7-8 Oct with 900 Gladhouse L, 250W Carron Valley Cent and 250 Connel Arg; 1,000 Glen Afton Ayr 14 Oct; 5,000 Fair Is 18 Oct. Major movement, mainly in S on 20 Oct with 2,000 Auchmithie A& D, 1,000 Is of May, 2,500 Scoughall L and “thousands” at Fife Ness F & St.Abb’s B & 1,200 Moor of Genoch D&G on same day. 3,500 Fair Is, “thousands” Bunnahabhain Arg 22 Oct. Then 1,200 Cairnorrie & 3,000 Lynturk NE, 2,000 Errol & many hundreds elsewhere P&K; 5,000 Baron’s Haugh Cly & 3,000 Martnaham Ayr on 30 Oct. More movements into Nov with 1,000+ Galston Ayr 11 Nov; “thousands” at Carsphairn A&D on 24 Nov. Good wintering numbers to end 1990 with mass influx into urban areas in Cly late Dec, including 5,000 Viewpark 23 Dec & 1,000 Cowglen 27 Dec. Song Thrush Turdus philomelos Very few birds reported N & Ein Jan-Feb - 4 Shet, 2 Fair Is, 6 Ork, 2 P&K, 3 Bord. First Bord 2 Feb; P&K 6 Feb; Caith 27 Feb. Passage light, 8 St, Abb’s B 12 Mar; 5 N.Ronaldsay Ork 18 Mar; 1-2 Balranald OH from 3 Apr; max on 25 Fair Is 13-15 Apr; 20 Is of May 20 Apr; a few into Jun in N_Isles. Light passage in autumn from late Aug in N. 35 Fair Is 24-26 Sep; then general fall 30 Sep & 1 Oct with 40 Fair Is, 50 Sanquhar M&N, 25 Burnmouth B. Largest falls mid-Oct with 50 N.Ronaldsay Ork | 14 Oct; 60 Fair Is 18 Oct; 50 Fife Ness F, 50 Is of May, 400 Dunglass B & 20 St.Abb’s on 20 Oct. Another 50 Is of May 29 Oct. Odd winter records into Dec but 2 P&K, 4 D&G were more than is typical. 52 Scottish Bird Report 1990 Redwing Turdus iliacus Many small flocks wintered but few > 100 birds: 100 Rosebury L 18 Jan; 108 Pollok Cly on 29 Jan; 200S Laurieston D&G 3. Feb; max 500 Menmuir A&D 18 Feb; 100+ Auchendrane Ayr 23 Feb; 160 Avondale Cly 25 Feb. Llight spring passage; 30 Symington B 12 Apr; max 9 Is of May & 20 N.Ronaldsay Ork 13 Apr; 105 Fair Is 14 Apr but big movement (presumably T.i.icoburni)in Hebrides on 1 Apr when ci,000 Tiree Arg, 500 Drimsdale & 2,000 R.Ardvule OH and many hundeds elsewhere, including St.Kilda OH. Another fall in same area 24-29 Apr, max 300 Vallay OH & 200 Hirta, St.Kilda OH. Last Ayr, Loth, Bord 16-26 Apr; Caith 8 Maywith latest Is of May on 13 May. Breeding: Shet & Ork birds sang but none bred; Suth 3 terr, 1 bred; M&N 1 terr, no further evidence; NE 1 nest but no other proof; P& K at 2 sites but no indication of success; Cly 1 sang 19 Apr. First 1 Halligarth Shet 20 Aug; then 1 Ork 2 Sep followed by odd birds N.Isles 17-22 Sep. First Bord, Is of May by 23 Sep; Arg, Bute, NE by 26 Sep; P&K, D&G, OH by 29 Sep. 400 Fair Is, 430 at 3 sites Ork 1 Oct. Peak movement 17-25 Oct with 6-7,000 over Pollok Cly 18-21 Oct; 2,000 Fair Is 18&22 Oct; 5,000 Usan & 5,000 Auchmithie A&D 19-20 Oct; “‘thou- sands” St.Abb’s and elsewhere Berwick coast B 20 Oct; 2,000 Arbroath A& D 21 Oct. “Vast” numbers over Mull of Kintyre light Arg at night 22-23 Oct and heavy night passage over Ayr 25 Oct. Another fall of “thousands” Fife 30 Oct. Quiet into Dec except for movements into urban areas mid-Dec with 250 Colinton L 18 Dec, 1,600 Viewpark Cly 23 Dec and 400 Cowglen Cly 27 Dec. Song Thrush D.G.Mitchell Mistle Thrush Turdus viscovorus Only 1 winter flock, 20 St.Abb’s B 20-26 Jan. Spring passage very light N. Isles, only 3 on Shet, 4 Fair Is & 1 Ork. Autumn: Craigurd roost B 10 on 28 Jun, 34 on 21 | Aug, max 1660n 8 Sep & 1150n 20Sep; 50 Airthey | Cent 13 Jul, 57 there 6 Aug; 100+ Strathtay P&K 27 Aug; 70 Aberfeldy P&K 15 Sep; 60 Blackhouse B 23 Sep; 65 Tyninghame L 10 Oct. *Lanceolated Warbler Locustella lanceolata 2 Fair Is: 1 on 23 Sep, another 30 Sep. Grasshopper Warbler Locustella naevia 1 Fair Is 20 Apr; 1 Torbeg, Arran Bute 22 Apr. First Fife, Cent by 26 Apr; Loth, Bord, Cly, NE, | Ayr by 28 Apr; D&A, Arg by 30 Apr; Caith, Ork, | Is of May by 13 May. Good spring passage with 8 Fair Is, 2 Ork. Breeding: good numbers with many singers- rf Sites males Sites males Caithness 4 4 M&N 5 i P&K . 8 15 Argyll 2 DA A&D ~_ 4 5 Bute 23 ? Fife 10 10 § Clyde 867 51 Central 5 6 | Ayr 1535 Lothian 9 12 | D&G 2? 24+ Borders 17 23 I P&K706'Tay reedbeds; Arg 14 Taynish NNR; Cly 10 Lochwinnoch; D&G unusually high number inc 24 Glentrool. Last singers mostly end-Jul followed by the acu vanishing act. ! Last singles Turnhouse L 8 Aug; Fair Is 28 Aug Kinnordy A&D 31 Aug; Lochwinnoch Cly 4 Se and latest Fair Is 7 Sep. | R.D.Murray [Ed] 53 * Blyth's Reed Warbler Acrocephalus dumetorum [1989] 1 N.Ronaldsay Ork 4 Oct. _ *Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola 1 Brow Shet 26 Aug was the only report. _ Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus - 1 St.Abb’s B 18 Apr; 1 Dunglass B 21 Apr. _ First Arg, Cent, Cly by 28 Apr; M&N, NE, A&D, Ayr by 30 Apr; Loth, Ork, D&G by 2 May; Fair Is, Caith, Shet by 5 May; OH & Is of May Bute 9 May. No falls of migrants reported. _ Breeding: Sites o Sites si Orkney v 22 OHeb 7 14 Argyll 4 52 A&D 2 31 Bute ? 23 Fife 1 42 Cly 16 299 Cent 5 20 Ayr 25 82 Loth 7 167 - D&G ela Bord 59 135 Best areas include Arg 32 Colonsay; Cly 171 prs _ Lochwinnoch and 33 in 3Kms Forth & Clyde - Canal; A&D 42 Kinnordy; Fife 42 Cameron Res. _ Declines noted some sites Ork, Loth & Bord. _ Movements from early Jul: “high numbers’ Tay reedbeds P&K and 350 ringed Guardbridge F in _ Jul-Aug. Only 3 Shet, c10 Fair Is in autumn. | Last Caith, A&D, Is of May, Ayr by 13 Sep; Ork, NE, Cly by 16 Sep; Loth, Shet, Fair Is by 24 Sep; ~ latest 1 Eyemouth B 2 Oct. ’ *Marsh Warbler Acrocephalus palustris _ 12 spring. First 1 Stronsay Ork 12 May was early. Fall in N.Isles 1-13 Jun: 1 Fair Is 1 Jun, with | another 2-3 Jun; 1 Whalsay Shet 4 Jun; 1 Fair Is — 6Jun; 1 N.Ronaldsay Ork 8 Jun. Singles at Eswick ' & Voe Shet 9 Jun, Dales Lees Shet 10 Jun; & _ Geosetter Shet 13 Jun. _ Then singles Strand & Kergord Shet 24 Jun. _ 2 autumn: singles at Skerries Shet 12-13 Sep and _ Kergord 13-17 Oct. i Reed Warbler Ray Murray *Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus Only 3 in spring: 1 Cruden Bay NE 3 May; 1 Foula Shet 11 Jun and 1 Fair Is 14 Jun. 1 ‘possible’ sang Hensol D&G 21 Jun. Poor autumn: | trapped Powgavie P&K on 17 Jul; 1 Fair Is 29 Jul; another there and 1N.Ronaldsay Ork 16-17 Aug; 5 singles Foula, Sumburgh & Spiggie Shet & 5 Fair Is 20 Aug-3 Sep. Singles Is of May 13 Oct; Graemeshall Ork 18 Oct; Fair Is 19 Oct; Girdleness NE & Cruden Bay 21 Oct; with another Cruden Bay 27 Oct. *Great Reed Warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus 1 Aberlady L 17 May. *Icterine Warbler Hippolais icterina 6 spring: 1 Fair Is and N.Ronaldsay Ork 29 May; 1 Grutness Shet 3 Jun; singles Fair Is on 4&6 Jun; 1 Cunningsburgh Shet 7 Jun. 4 autumn: singles Quendale Shet 2 Sep; Grutness 4 Sep; Eswick Shet 6 Sep; and Clachan OH from 29 Sep-10 Oct. *Melodious Warbler Hippolais polyglotta 1 Fair Is 6 Jun & 1 N.Locheynort OH on 30 Sep- 2 Oct. *Subalpine Warbler Sylvia cantillans 1 adf N.Ronaldsay Ork 28 May. *Ruppell’s Warbler Sylvia ruppelli 1 adm Whalsay Shet 3-19 Oct was the second for Scotland. *Barred Warbler Sylvia nisoria 1 spring: 1 Scalloway Shet 31 May-3 Jun. 52 autumn: first 1 Cunningsburgh Shet on 4 Aug; 1 North Ronaldsay Ork 16 Aug; 2 Fair Is 20 Aug; 6 Shet, 6 Fair Is & 6 Ork more-or-less daily 21 Aug- 1 Sep; then 1-3 daily Fair Is 5-17 Sep but singles Fife Ness F 7-9 Sep & St.Kilda OH 10 Sep same period. 2 Fair Is, 1 Is of May and1 St.Abb’s B on 25 Sep; 2 Shet 28 Sep; singles at FairIs & Shet 4-6 Oct; 1 St.Abb’s 9 Oct; 2 Shet, and singles Fair Is and Ork 13-18 Oct. Last singles at Fife Ness 22-23 Oct and Is of May 2 Nov. 54 Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca First singles Is of May & St. Abb’s B on 22 Apr; Fair Is on 24 Apr & Archerfield L on 27 Apr. Arrivals Ayr, Cly on 1 May; NE, A&D by 3 May; Shet & Ork by 9 May. Mostly 1-2 birds but 15 at 10 sites Loth 27 Apr-5 May & 14 Fair Is 3 May. Breeding: A&D 2 singers at 1 site; Cly 7 sites; Ayr 5 at 4 sites; Loth 18 at 11 sites; Bord 7 birds at 6 sites. Post-breeding movements: 10 reports of local birds Loth & Bord 12 Jul-8 Sep; 1 Powgavie P&K 21 Jul; 1 Connel Arg 14 Aug. Passage in N fromearly Sep: 1 St.Kilda OH 12 Sep; 4 NE 18-30 Sep; 9 Shet 21 Sep; 4 OHeb 22-30 Sep; 1 Caith & max 5 St.Abb’s B 25 Sep. Another movement mid-Oct with 1 Caith 13 Oct; 3NE 15-22 Oct; 15 Shet & 5 Fair Is 18 Oct. Last Bord 23 Oct, Fair Is 25 Oct; Fife 27 Oct. Late singles Boddam Shet 3-5 Nov and Sandness Shet 11 Nov. Whitethroat Sylvia communis Early first reports: 3 Nigg NE 5 Apr; 3 Duff House NE 12 Apr; 1 Fullwood Cly 13 Apr. Then gap until 1 Lochwinnoch Cly & Southend Arg 23 Apr. Arrivals in Ayr, Loth by 30 Apr; Ork, Caith, Fife, Bord, D&G on 2 May; Fair Is, A&D, Cent by 3-4 May; Shet, M&N, Bute, P&K by 6 Jun. Usually 1-2 birds but 18 Is of May 13 May; 7 Fair Is 21 May & 8 there 6 Jun. 1 St.Kilda OH 29 May. Breeding: numbers similar, perhaps slightly less than 1989: largest counts: Arg 26 prs Colonsay; Bute 40 prs Arran; Loth 22 Pencaitland. Passage from 9 Aug in N. Isles was light, max count 4 Fair Is 19 Sep. Last Arg, A&D, Ayr, M&N 22 Aug-9 Sep; Bute, Loth, NE 17-23 Sep; Shet, Fair Is, OHeb 5-10 Oct; Bord, Ork 18-20 Oct. Lastest 1 Noss Farm Caith and 2 Fife Ness F. Garden Warbler Sylvia borin 3 Duff House NE & 1 Dailly Ayr 30 Apr; then singles Kingoodie A& D, Tiroran Arg & 1 Skateraw L 3 May. First Cly, Cent, P&K on 4 May; Is of May, Shet, D&G by 6 May; Ork & Bord by 8 May; Fair Is on 12 May; Caith & M&N by 24 May. Mostly 1-2 birds but 8 Fair Is on 6 May with continuous passage there to 13 Jun. Scottish Bird Report 1990 Breeding: numbers good, possibly slightly better than 1989. Largest counts: Ayr 24 o Kilkerran; Arg 10 Taynish NNR; Cly 29 prs on 11 of 13 islands in L.Lomond. Passage from 20 Jul: very poor on E coast with only 5 NE, 11 Is of May & 7 SE Scot; but best-ever on W coast with 8 reports. Peaks 15 Fair Is 7 Sep; 4 Skerries Shet on 16 Sep; 3 N.Ronaldsay Ork 23 Sep. Last Bord 26 Sep; NE, Ork, Loth 16-17 Oct; OHeb & Is of May by 22 Sep. Latest 1 Fair Is 25 Oct. Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla Winter birds: Jan Feb Mar Nov Dec N. Isles 0 0 0 Sy 0 W.Isles 0 0 0 0 0) N.Scotland 0 0 0 0 1 NE Scotland 6 7 4 14 2 W.Scotland 1 0 0 3 2 E/C Scotland 2 2 3 0 2 SE Scotland 4 6 6 2 1 SW Scotland 5 3 7 3 5 Total 18 18 20 27 13 In a year marked by exceptionally early passage movements a number of sightings 3-9 Mar may | well have been early migrants rather than wintering | birds: 2 St.Abb’s B 3 Mar; 1 Forres M&N 7 Mar and 2 Ayr Ayr 9 Mar: First definite migrants: 1 Strathclyde Park & 2 Baron’s Haugh Cly and 1 Helendale Shet 8 Apr; 1 N.Ronaldsay Ork 14 Apr; 1 Inveresk L 15 Apr. Arrivals Bord, Ayr 21 Apr; Fife, P&K by 25 Apr; Arg, D&G, Suth, Fair Is by 3 May; OH, Bute “a . by 9 May. few parties, max 5 Fair Is 3 May. | Breeding: numbers mainly stable, perhaps slight — reductions at sites in Loth & P&K; reports poor in} Clyde. : Autumn passage generally light, although best/ ever Ork. First movements 12 Jul, peaking mid! Oct with 20 N.Ronaldsay Ork 14 Oct; 150 Shet) inc 30 Kergord 15 Oct; 40 Fair Is 18 Oct; 16 in SE | 20 Oct. A few birds thereafter but less number! wintering than 89/90. *Greenish Warbler Phylloscopus trochiloides 2 autumn: 1 Fair Is 16 Aug; 1 Unst Shet 27 Aug eel *Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis 2 reports: 1 Fair Is 26-27 Aug and 1 Unst Sh from 6- 9 Oct. any Sa R.D.Murray [Ed] *Pallas’s Warbler Phylloscopus proregulus - 10records: 1 Whalsay Shet 14 Oct; 1 Eswick Shet 15-16 Oct; 1 Coldingham Bay B 19 Oct; 1 Sumburgh - Shet 21-22 Oct; 1 Skateraw L 21-23 Oct; 1 Muchalls NE 21 Oct; 1 Cruden Bay NE 22 Oct; 1 Crail F 22-26 Oct; 1 Stronsay Ork 24 Oct; 1 Stromness Ork 26 Oct; 1 Dornie I&R 29 Oct. _ [1989] 1 Fife Ness F 29-30 Oct brings the total for . Pallas's Warbler that year to 7 birds. Keith Brockie \ Lis 2 ee Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus Several influxes involving c 59 birds. First 1 Fair Is 12 Sep; 1 Cruden Bay NE 16 Sep; then 9 Shet, 4 Ork, 14 Fair Is, 2 OHeb, 2 NE, 4 SE 18-30 Sept, max 6 Fair Is 22 Sep. Singles OHeb, Fife & Fair Is in early Oct were _ possibly these earlier birds re-orientating. _ Anotherinflux 12-18 Oct when 1 Ork, 3 NE, | Fife, 1 Is of May & 3 SE before yet another arrival over 20-23 Oct involving 1 Fair Is, 4 NE, & 1 Fife. _ 2 Shet 29 Oct and 1 Ork 12 Nov before possibly _ latest-ever single at Peterhead NE on 2 Dec. _ *Radde’s Warbler Phylloscopus schwarzi 1 Barns Ness L 15 Oct was the only report. *Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus 3 birds: 1 Fair Is 30 Sep was earliest-ever for island; another Fair Is 19 Oct and 1 Frakkafield Shet 29 Oct-1 Nov. . Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix First 1 Kilmore Arg 25 Apr; 1 Hermitage L 29 Apr; singles Inversnaid Cly, Blairmore Arg and Wood || of Cree D&G on 30 Apr. Arrivals P&K, Ayr, Bord, Fife 1-2 May; Fair Is, OH, NE, A&D by 7 May; Ork, Shet, Suth, Cent by 55 13 May. 1 St,Kilda OH 23 May. Breeding: OH nest built Stornoway Wood, success not known; NE7 prs +7 unmated @ Ballater; A&D 5 at 4 sites was best-ever; P&K 24 at 2 sites, inc 17 Killiecrankie; Cent 5 at 4 sites; Loth 18cat 8 sites; Bord 28 cat 19 sites; Arg 84 at 6 sites, inc 57 Taynish NNR; Cly 57 at 10 sites, inc 34 prs on 9 of 11 L.Lomond islands; Ayr 32 at 14 sites, inc 11 Kilkerran; D&G 47 Wood of Cree. Usual light autumn passage: last Bute 8 Aug; Bord 26 Aug. 1 Shet, 4 Fair Is, 1 Ork 2-7 Sep; before singles Shet, Fair Is 23 Sep. 1 Skateraw L 21 Oct was extremely late. Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita Wintering birds: 1 Shet, 4 Ork, 1 M&N, 1 P&K, 1 Loth, 1 Bord, 3 Ayr (inc 1 showing features of the eastern race P.c.tristis). 1 early bird on Whalsay Shet by 1 Mar; 1 Peterhead NE 11 Mar; 1 Kilkerran Ayr 13 Mar; 1 Edinburgh L 15 Mar; 2 St.Abb’s B 16 Mar. First D&G, Cent, Is of May, Cly by 17-18 Mar; Bute, P&K, Arg, by 25 Mar;then A&D, Shet, Caith, Fair Is, Ork by 28 Mar-1 Apr. Usually 1-2 migrants involved but 20 Corsewall Point D&G 20 Mar; 5 Whalsay & 5 N.Ronaldsay Ork 20 Apr; 25 Fair Is 3 May; 5 Hirta, St.Kilda OH 22 Apr-27 May; and max 15 Isle of May on 13 May. Breeding: populations doing well: Ork probably bred at 1 site; Caith 60 at 5 sites; Suth 3 sites; A&D 13 sites; P&K 14 at 13 sites; Loth c65 at 38 sites; Bord 60 at 35 sites; Arg 20; Bute 15 birds; Cly 31 at 15 sites; Ayr 135 at 35 sites, inc 34 Culzean & 20 Kilkerran. Some birds moving Jul & Aug, with most local birds away by late Sep. Peak movements mid-Oct, involving many eastern birds of the abietinus/tristis populations: a record 100 Fair Is & 30 N.Ronaldsay Ork 18 Oct; 75 at 7 sites Shet 20-21 Oct; 16 at 3 sites Loth & 18 Mains of Usan A&D on 21 Oct; 5 Eyemouth B 23 Oct; 5 Sumburgh Shet & 10 Fair Is 11 Nov. Small parties 1-2 birds, Nov/Dec, especially in’ N&W Isles. Dec reports: 4 Shet, 3 Ork, 3 NE, 1 Loth, 1 Ayr. 1 wintering Newton Mearns Cly showed features of the eastern abietinus/tristis races. I LE TIS LL TIE GE I TTT LST TT 56 Willow Warbler Phyloscopus trochilus Exceptionally early influx to SW: 1 Culzean Ayr 18 Mar; 1 Fleet Valley D&G 21 Mar; also 2 others Ayr Ayr 28 Mar. First Loth, Bord by 2 Apr; NE, M&N, Bute, Cly by 8 Apr; Arg, P&K, A&D, Shet by 13 Apr; Fife, Ork, Cent, Fair Is, OH, Suth 17-24 Apr. Peaks 37 St.Abb’s/Eyemouth B 29 Apr; 15 Fair Is 3 May; 6 N.Ronaldsay Ork 4 May; 30 Usan A&D 5 May; max 40 Is of May 16 May. Breeding: Arg 341 AOTs Taynish NNR; P&K 33 Vane Farm (54 in 1989); Loth 73 Threipmuir (31 in 1989); Cly 4 sites showed 22% decrease on 1989. Elsewhere apparently stable with a good breeding season suggested by 450 ringed Kippo F Jul-Aug and 180 Holytown Cly Jul-Sep. Movements from early Jul, inc 50 Bridge of Allan Cent 31 Jul. Several peaks to passage: 60 Is of May 9 Aug included 1 acredula-type; 3-4 on most days St.Kilda OH 19-27 Aug; 40 St.Abb’s B 24 Aug; 80 Is of May & 50 Fair Is 26 Aug. Most last inland birds 3-19 Sep. Second passage peak 21-25 Sep with 30 Ayton B 21 Sep; 4 St.Kilda 23 Sep; 35 Fair Is, 10 N-Ronaldsay Ork 24 Sep. Samll numbers during Oct: last P&K 1 Oct; Ayr 7 Oct; Loth OH by 15 Oct; Shet, Arg 21 Oct; Caith, Bord, NE, Is of May, Ork 27-31 Oct. Latest 1 Fair Is 25 Oct-1 Nov.: Goldcrest Regulus regulus Passage was early and generally light. First movements 13 Mar with peaks of “hundreds” Mull of Kintyre lighthouse Arg on 15 &17 Mar; 30 Sumburgh Shet 18 Mar; 30 St.Abb’s B 27 Mar; 25 Skateraw L 1 Apr; 40 Is of May 1-2 Apr. Another fall Mull of Kintyre 24 Apr and 30+ Balnamoil Arg 30 Apr. Breeding: No meaningful comments or counts in local bird reports. Autumn passage fromearly Augin S, late AuginN. Peak movements late Sep & mid-Oct: 90 Shet, 100 Fair Is, 66 Ork 22-24 Sep; 70 St. Abb’s 29-30 Sep; 32+ Heads of Ayr Ayr 1 Oct. 200 Arbroath cliffs A&D 20 Oct; 420 at 3 sites Loth, 100 to 1,000 birds Is of May 18-23 Oct; 200 at 6 sites Ork and 265 at 5 sites NE 21-25 Oct; 90 Fair Is & 325 at 3 sites Bord 21 Oct; 300 Fife Ness F 22 Oct. Small numbers to end-Nov in N isles. Scottish Bird Report 1990 Goldcrest John Busby ff N \\ \ 2 < _ PAP’ KA «\ . NX Xs ASS ( \ \ \\) ANY uy WANS N POS Ws SO Sy) Firecrest Regulus ignicapillus 1 wintered Melvich Suth 28 Jan-10 Mar. 9 birds in the large Oct fall, all singles : Drums NE | 14 Oct; Portnahaven, Islay Arg 17 Oct; Is of May } 18-19 Oct; Scoughall L 19 Oct; East Seaton Dean | A&D 20 Oct; Fife Ness F 22-24 Oct; St.Abb’s B | & Windwick, S.Ronaldsay Ork on 24 Oct; with | the last 1 Thrumster House Caith 27 Oct. q ; | | / Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata First 1 Barr Water Arg 1 May; 2 Wood of Cree D&G 3 May; 2 North Berwick L & 1 Kilbirnie Ayr 4 May. First A&D, Cly, Caith, Bord, NE 5-7 May; Shet, Is of May on 9 May; P&K, Bute, Fair Is, Ork 11-14 May; M&N, OH by 19 May. Mostly 1-2 birds but best counts: 3 St.Abb’s B on 16 May; 9 Is of May 17 May; 14 Fair Is 23 May; 3 N.Ronaldsay Ork 26 May & 3 Fetlar Shet 3 Jun. Breeding: Ork 2 prs; Arg 16prs Taynish NNR Bute 26 prs Arran; Ayr 82prs at 24 sites; seemec © scarcer Loth, Fife and sites in P&K and D&G. | Usual light passage from mid-Jul, mostly 1-3 bird! with 14 Is of May 21 Jul; 10 Kingcross, Arran But 1 Aug; 10 Lanark Cly 11 Aug; 16 Glen Kerran as } 21 Aug: 4 Fair Is 22 Sep. . Last Caith, A&D, P&K by 13 Sep; Is of May, Cly_ Cent, Loth, Arg 17-21 Sep; Ayr, Shet, Bord, NEb) 26 Sep; OH, M&N, Fair Is by 6 Oct. PD Latest singles N.Ronaldsay Ork and Machrie Arran Bute 13 Oct. a | \ -R.D.Murray [Ed] 57 - *Red-breasted Flycatcher Ficedula parva 2 spring: 1 Fair Is 30 May; 1 Hirta, St.Kilda OH on 9 Jun. 15 autumn: 1 Fair Is 12 Sep; 1 Skerries Shet & Mulloch Wood NE 23 Sep; 1 Is of May 15 Sep; then 2 Fair Is 30 Sep; 1 N.Locheynort Arg 1 Oct; ‘1 Kergord Shet 2 Oct; gap until 1 Girdleness NE 13-16 Oct; 1 Is of May 18 Oct; 1 Duncansby Caith 21 Oct; and last 1 Eyemouth B 23 Oct. -Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca Poor passage: 1 Ancrum B 20 Apr; 1 Hensol D&G, ‘1 Glen App Ayr 28 Apr. First Cly, Ork, P&K 30 Apr-2 May; Shet, Fair Is on »5 May; A&D, OH, Arg, Loth, Is of May by 13 May; NE, M&N from 6-10 Jun. All records 1-2 birds except 4 Fair Is 8 May. Breeding: Nest-box schemes Nests Young MBS ' Trossachs Cent 68 275 4.04 Killiecrankie P&K 5 22 4.40 - Argyll, 4 sites 18 67 a / Inversnaid Cly 34 9 0.26 - Tarbert Cly DD, 1197, 5.31 _Sallochy Cly 7 33 4.71 _ Wood of Cree D&G 41 ? y ; Castramont D&G ? 4] ? Glentrool D&G 15 28 3.13 ; Forest of Ae D&G ? ? 1.70 | : } | ) | Many losses of chicks in SW attributed to wet spell in Jun. Very poor year Inversnaid Cly (where 238 chicks raised in 1989 !) Elsewhere: Loth 4 birds at | 2 sites; Bord 9 at 6 sites; transitory birds only at sites in NE and M&N. Poor autumn passage: only 24 Shet, c30Fair Is, 10 _Ork, 6 Bord and 1-3 elsewhere. Last Cly 19 Jul & Ayr 24 Jul; 4 St.Abb’s B 29 Aug; 11 Fair Is7 Sep; 1 Usan A&D 11 Sep; 3 Skerries Shet 16 Sep; last NE, OH 30 Sep; Shet 1 Oct with late singles Fair Is on 17 Oct and N.Ronaldsay -Ork 21 Oct. Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Population seems buoyant with good numbers and | good success reoported NE, A&D, P&K, D&G. Bred Colonsay Arg for the first time. Many flocks reported: largest 50+ Loch Fleet Suth | 28 Aug; 40 Lochwinnoch Cly 27 Sep. _ Some passage during autumn: 12 Is of May 15 Oct | (first there for some years); 48 Loch of Skene NE / 17 Oct; 45+ Pease Dean B 21 Oct; 6 Ork at 2 sites 26 Oct-4 Nov and 3 Stornoway OH where rare. oi a A OL EE LT LE ITS IE ENT OE YE TT LE Te ET ‘| ; a *Marsh Tit Parus palustris 10 sites in breeding season in Bord, included 5 new sites discovered during Tetrad Atlas work. Winter records from 4 other sites, max 4 Hirsel on 28 Jan and Woodheads 16 Sep. Pr Dunlass on boundary Loth/Bord was only Loth record. Willow Tit Parus montanus Ayr 3 sites during Jan, Mar, Apr & Oct; Cly only 4 sites where serious decline in evidence, only 2 from breeding season with no confirmation of success; D&G 5 sites, mostly autumn/winter but scarcer Ken/Dee area; Bord 2 sites only. Crested Tit Parus cristatus Suth 1 juv seen L.Fleet 26 Aug;M&N 10 prs Culbin and 2 prs Lossie Forest fledged 40 young; also 3 records from outwith main range at Daugh of Edinvillie, Sound Moor and Delnaport. No information from Inv & Ross. Coal Tit Parus ater 1 Fair Is from 1989 stayed to 1 Feb. 3 post-breeding flocks totaled 160 birds Balerno L on 9 Jul suggests good numbers and high success; 2 singing males OHeb but no proof of breeding. Extremely light autumn movements in SE but 1 Is of May 14-23 Oct, the first since 1985. Blue Tit Parus caeruleus 72 Roslin Glen L 7 Jan. Nest-box schemes Nests Young MBS Caithness 15 128 8.5 Moray & Nairn 12 60 5.0 Perth & Kinross 19 95 5.0 Borders 22 154 7.0 Movements in SEinc 25 St.Abb’s & 45 Burnmouth B 30 Sep, 7 Skateraw L 26 Oct. Also 60 Lochwinnoch Cly 6 Nov. Great Tit Parus major Nest-box schemes Nests Young MBS Caithness 1 8 8.0 Moray & Nairn 19 98 5.1 Perth & Kinross 12 84 7.0 Borders 9 47 Sy? Scarce in Fleet Valley D&G; but bred Willowglen, Stornoway OH. Singles Scalloway 16-18 Oct & Helendale Shet 3 Nov-1991 where rare. 38 Scottish Bird Report 1990 *Nuthatch Sitta europaea Pairs present Mar-May at Hirsel & Floors Castle, Kelso B where bred in 1989 but nest-sites not re- occupied and no proof of breeding. Treecreeper Certhia familiaris 8 prs used nest-boxes Culbin & Lossie Forests MA&N fledging 32 young (4.0); pr bred Stornoway Woods OH. 1-3 birds, probably migrants, regular on E coast at Carlinheugh Bay A&D; Crail & Fife Ness F; Is of May; Barns Ness L and several sites Berwickshire coast B 1-24 Oct. *Golden Oriole Oriolus oriolus 17 spring: 1 Rousay Ork 19-20 May; 1 Skipport OH 21 May; | Fetlar Shet & 1 Muirfield L 24 May; 1 Hoswick Shet 26 May; 1 Westray Ork 27 May; 1 Strathalladale Suth 29 May; 1 Ork, 6 Shet during 1-6 Jun; 1 Spott L 3 Jun; 1 Fair Is 7 Jun; 1 Westray 10 Jun and 1 Halligarth Shet 2-7 Jun. Red-backed Shrike _-—-~.. Raine (es *Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio c42 spring: 1 Fetlar Shet 8 May; 1 Wideford Ork 15-18 May; 1 Is of May 19 May; 1 Alemill B on 20 May; 1 Fair Is 21 May; 1 Is of May & 1 Donmouth NE 22 May; | Stronsay Ork 25 May. Then 1 Kergord Shet 1 Jun; 1 L.Loy M&N, 1 Fair Is, 1 Wood of Cree D&G and 4 Shet on 3 Jun; 1 The Loons Ork 4 Jun; 1 Drumoak NE 6 Jun; 1-3 daily Fair Is 6-15 Jun; 2 Shet 7 Jun; 1 Hirta, St.Kilda OH 8 Jun. Gap until 1 Rendal Ork 21 Jun; 1 S.Ronaldsay Ork 23 Jun; 1 Fair Is 25 Jun & 1 Eden NE 26 Jun. Pr bred S.Mainland Ork, raising 1 young, remain- ing in area to 18 Aug. 1 Barr Loch Cly 10-17 Jul. 17 autumn: 1 Ailsa Craig Ayr 17 Aug; singles N.Ronaldsay Ork 1 Sep, 4 Sep with 2 on 7 Sep; singles Yell & Fetlar Shet 6-8 Sep; 1 Fair Is, 1 Ness OH 12 Sep; 1 Evie Ork 13-14 Sep; 1 Skerries & Bressay Shet 16-17 Sep; 1 Stronsay Ork 18-19 Sep. Last singles Deerness Ork 14 Oct; Fair Is on 18 Oct; Murcar NE 20 Oct; & N.Ronaldsay 24 Oct. Lesser Grey Shrike Ray Murray *Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor 1 2 Brough, Whalsay Shet 26 Sep-20 Oct. Great Grey Shrike Lanius excubitor 1 Peterhead NE 9 Jan & 1 Deerness Ork 8 Apr were the only winter/spring records. c23 autumn/winter birds but only 1 definite winter- ing bird: 1 Stormont P&K 27 Sep was early. Main passage mid-Oct: 1 North Ronaldsay Ork on 14 Oct; 1 Scalloway Shet, 1 Sanday Ork, 1 Fair Is | 16 Oct; 1 Sanday 18 Oct; 1 Birsay Ork 20 Oct; | influx on21 Oct with singles Balmedie & Newburgh if NE, Fair Is, Fife Ness F & Skateraw L. 1 Barns Ness L 22 Oct; 1 St.Abb’s B 23 Oct; 1 N.Ronaldsay | 25 Oct. 1 Carnoustie A&D 30 Oct; 1 Kirriereoch D&G 3 Nov; 1 Migdale Suth 7 Nov; 1 Donmouth t NE 18 Nov; 1 Collessie F 26 Nov-1991; 1 Ken) ~ Valley D&G 28 Nov; 1 Cloich B 2 Dec; 1 House of | = | . Dun A&D 8 Dec. Woodchat Shril_ | Ray Murray | | *Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator bh 1 Flotta Ork 9-10 Jun; 1 Fair Is 11 Sep. yi if Jay Garrulus glandarius Increases noted M&N and Bord: with population. becoming established in parts of inland Berwick | shire and Tweed Valley near Peebles in B. " 1 pr Erskine Wood Cly was first Renfrewshitl breding in recent years. i Downward trend in reports continues Cly, A&I P&K, may represent real decrease or more like! less observations being submitted. Na -R.D.Murray [Ed] - Magpie Pica pica Signs of increasing numbers at Dunblane Cent & inland Berwickshire B. Range spread in Braco- _Auchterarder area P&K, Cheviots Bord, Torranyard Ayr, and Rhins D&G. Assemblies: 106 at pre-roost Rosshall, Paisley Cly 8 Feb with 104 there 19 Oct; 206 Pollok Cly 15 Nov; 44 Westhill NE 2 Dec. -Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax _ Arg 95 prs Islay had poor breeding season due to _ very dry spring; 12 prs attempted breeding Colon- say, 8 reared broods; pr Mull hatched young that failed to fledge; no data from Jura. D&G pr Wigtonshire raised 3 young for the first ) ; time; also 1 at an inland site 3-8 Aug, far from any feececin g site. 1 Fife Ness F 28 Oct was the first for Fife this - century. It was present during a fall of migrants and ymay have been of continental origin. | Jackdaw Corvus monedula Roost counts: 5,300 Aird Meadow Cly 14 Oct; _ 2,000 Dalmahoy L 18 Nov; 1,800 Torrance House | Cly 21 Nov; 2,500 Strown P&K 22 Dec . 13 spring & 23 autumn records Shet, but only in 6 spring and none in autumn Fair Is. ’ Rook Corvus frugilegus | | Ork severe persecution with 3 of 5 colonies being \ ' shot out; Caith some decreases noted - 270 nests | Braal where 760 in 1988; OHeb 145 nests Stor- | noway Woods where 160 in 1989 and 180 in 1988; _Loth 10.3% decrease in 14 colonies counted in | both 1989 and 1990. Increases noted D&G and NE. _ Full survey of Tweeddale B where there was an | increase of 64% from 4,872 nests in 1975 to 7,339 J nestsin 1990. The increase was mainly attributed _to poor coverage in BTO National Census in 1975 , and to the improvement of what was previously | marginal grassland, increasing feeding opportuni- ties. (Borders Bird Report 12: 72-76) i Roosts: biggest counts - 1,500 Eyemouth B 11 Jul; ~ 4,000 Drumoak & 4,000 Lynturk NE 5 Nov; 3,500 | Dalmahoy L 18 Nov; 2,130 Torrance House Cly on i 21 Nov; 3,000 Mosstodloch M&N 7 Dec. | Passage Shet & Fair Is 3 Feb-17 May, but only _, 3 autumn reports. 59 Carrion Crow Corvus corone Some changes in subspecies range: Carrion C.c.corone Arg gradually spreading through Cowal into Kintyre and Mid-Argyll while Hooded C.c.cornix now outnumber Carrions in Glen Lyon P&K. Movements: influxes to Shet, Fair Is and odd Hoodies or hybrids in Cly, Loth, Bord, Ayr, D&G, mainly Mar-May and Sep-Oct. Raven Corvus corax Breeding: Population stable in N&W; very scarce M&N, NE and A&D where only 13 reports. Some recovery evident in Bord where numbers improving although some traditional sites appar- ently abandoned. 1 nest on coast fledged 3 young by extremely early date of 9 Dec; D&G 3 new sites and some sites yet to be discovered. Area Sites Occupied Outcome Nest Young checked sites Failed 2??? success MBS Shatland 15 15 8 - ql dull ed) Fair Isle 3 3 3 - - S040) Orkney 47 47 13 2 32) 84") 82.6 Argyll 97 2 30 5 ST ESO uO. Arran 14 14 2 ? HET es ti) ? Perth&K 15 11 2 - Sevisy/ one) Ayrshire 9 9 4 p) 3-7 AOE 3.3 Assemblies: 35 Boddam Shet 10 Jan; 36 Holm & 35 St.Ola Ork 24-28 Apr; 60 Balranald OH 6 Jun; 75-101 roosting S.Uist OH 10 Sep; 91 Balinoe Arg in Sep. Raven ~, A.Dowell Starling Sturnus vulgaris Winter/spring roosts: 20,000 Tinwald D&G; 4,000 Campbeltown Arg Jan-Mar; 7,500+ Clyde rail- | bridge, Glasgow Cly 18 Jan; 2,000 Guardbridge F 21 Jan; 6,000 Irvine Ayr 27 Jan. Autumn roosts: 15,000 Kinnordy A&D mid-Jul; 5,000 Groundiston B 26 Aug, 7,000 there 3 Oct; 40,000 Kinmount D&G; 10,000 New Cumnock Ayr late Aug. 60 Passage noted: 700 Fair Is 3 Oct; 1,000 N.Ronaldsay Ork 1&16 Oct; ‘falls’ Mull of Kintyre lighthouse Arg 22 Oct; 2,000 Skateraw L 20 Oct. Winter roosts: 7,500 L.Spynie M&N 26 Oct; 3,000 Lochrutton D&G 11 Nov; 10,000 Cairnorrie NE on 1 Dec; 39,000 Clyde railbridge, Glasgow 1 Dec; 10,000+ L.Skipport OH 15 Dec; 3,500 Rangehead OH in Dec. *Rose-coloured Starling Sturnus roseus 1 ad Stronsay Ork 12Jul; 1 imm Crail F 27 Oct - 2 Nov. House Sparrow Passer domesticus Highest flock counts immediately post-breeding, mainly in W Scotland: 266 North Ronaldsay Ork 8 Jun; 300 Maybole Ayr 15 Jul-10 Aug; 200 roost- ing Bridge of Allan Cent 23 Jul; 250 Highfield Ayr 4 Aug; 600 in barley Paisley Cly 22 Aug. House Sparrow John Busby Tree Sparrow Passer montanus Very under-recorded or very scarce?, especially in breeding season. M&N 8 bred nestboxes; P&K 151 young from Blairgowrie colony but numbers down Errol, al- though brood sizes good there. only a few reports of breeding: Caith (1); NE (12); A&D (7); Loth (2), Bord (10); Ayr (1). Counts: 200 Barry A&D 1 Jan; 110+ Lower Largo F 2 Jan; 120 Musselburgh L 16 Feb; 130 Black- wood Cly 24 Mar; 120 Hatterseat NE 21 Oct; 167 Hollywood & 170 Locharbriggs D&G in Nov/Dec. Movements: 6 Ork & Shet 14 May-4 Jun; 4 Hirta, St,Kilda OH 27 May; 4 Is of May 8 Sep; 2 Fair Is 5 Sep and singles there and in Shet 12 Oct, 30 Oct and 1 Dec. Scottish Bird Report 1990 Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Few large winter flocks: 900 Greenloaning P&K, 2.400 Kilmacolm Cly 28 Jan; 800 Caerlaverock D&G 31 Jan; 700 Mintlaw NE 3 Feb; 1,000+ Beachans MKN 11 Feb; 1,200 Bridge of Weir Cly 22 Feb. Poor passage Shet, Fair Is, Ork but 2 singles St.Kilda OH 13 & 24 Apr. | Poor breeding season east Perth P&K with few | young; attempted breeding Kergord Shet, outcome unknown. Light autumn passage from late Sep. c20 was largest flock seen N.Isles but 522N past Balnamoil | Arg 23-25 Sep. Few large flocks yet again in winter but 500 Mount Lothian L 12 Oct; 500 Gleneagles P&K 24 Nov; 800 Ballinluig P&K 26Dec. Largest numbers generally in E. | | Brambling Fringilla montifringilla Very scarce and thinly scattered with few parties of | 20 or more birds. Single flocks of 50+ birds in NE, | A&D, Fife, Cly but largest in SE - 200 Livingston | L 4 Jan; 800 Standhill & 150 E. Deans B 11 Feb; H 100 Lindinny Wood B 15 Feb; 60 Bavelaw L on! 31 Mar. t Passage was light with max 50 Fair Is 13 Apr. Last Ayr 21 Mar; Arg, P&K 27-31 Mar; A&D, Cly by 15 Apr; Bord, Loth by 29 Apr; Is of May, Ork by! 18 May; Fair Is & Shet by 5 Jun. . No breeding reports but singers D&G and Ork. | First 2 Graemeshall Ork 13 Sep; with a few birds) 21 Sep-6 Oct inc. first 1 Fair Is & Shet 21- 22 Sep, St.Kilda OH 25 Sep, Bord 30 Sep; highest counts, on 9 Is of May 24 Sep; & 13 Fair Is 1 Oct. i Heavier passage 11 Oct-11 Nov: 40 N.Ronaldsay_ , Ork &15 St.Abb’s B on 14 Oct; 250 Fair Is 16 Oct | c50 daily Is of May 18-21 Oct; 20 Crail F 27 Oct! i 25 Whalsay Shet 28 Oct; 30 Tyninghame L 30 oct) j Only odd birds on W coast from 16 Oct. I : Later onwards passage with 20 Kirkliston L aT 12 Nov; 175 Harviestoun Cent 13 Nov. Winter numbers were extremely poor with th largest Dec flock being 10 Morriston M&N. | ree ea yer ee Greenfinch Carduelis chloris | 3 wintered Shet, 1 on Fair Is & 12 on Ork. Flocks were generally smaller than usual, a " in Jan, the biggest being 180 Lumsdaine B 4 Ja ‘ 500 Strathbraan P&K 7 Jan; 195 Rouken Glen Cc i 8 Jan; 300 St.John’s L. Caith 9 Jan; 300 Roseis. ——— re R.D.Murray [Ed] MAN 14-15 Jan and 200 Braco P&K 21 Jan. Passage: only 5 Shet, 6 Fair Is 13-21 Apr. 1 over Cairngorms M&N at 1,150m on 1 Apr. - Breeding: Ork 2prs bred+ 4 singers; P&K 72% juvs in trapped flocks Errol suggests good breeding season. Good movement N.Isles 9 Oct-12 Nov: c70 Shet, -max 20 Strand 20 Oct; max 21 Fair Is on 29 Oct; 22 N.Ronaldsay Ork 15 Oct. 175 Kilbarchan Cly 15 Sep but largest flocks, including migrants, in * S&E with 200 Chirnside B 30 Sep; 120 Bemersyde B 10 Oct; 100 Barns Ness L 15 Oct; 22 Is of May 22 Oct; 400 Kinshaldy F 19 Nov; 300 Caiplie & 400 Crail F in Dec. - Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Small flocks, <20 birds, widespread but flocks in 20-40 range few: Caith 1, A&D 1, Clyde 5, Loth 6, Bord 2, Ayr 1, D&G 1. _ 50 Lymphoy L 22 Apr was largest. 11 at 5 sites in Ork & 18 at 4 sites OHeb in Jan-Mar were consid- - ered excellent for these areas. - Good breeding season is suggested by the size of _ the autumn flocks. Many reported in 30-50 range » with 6 flocks of 60+ Loth&Bord 1-28 Sep and 4 of ~ 40+ Cly in Oct; 100 Fife Ness F 7 Oct; 90 Kirriereoch D&G 27 Oct; 123 Little Shalloch Ayr 5 Nov and record 44 Pitgaveny M&N 19 Nov. 3 at 1 site Shet, | 19 at 6 sites Ork & 12 at 2 sites OHeb during Oct- _ Dec was again a good showing for these parts. Siskin Carduelis spinus Moderate numbers Jan-Mar with best counts P&K, _ Bord, D&G. The biggest flocks: 80 Spynie M&N, —c100 Ardchonnel Arg; 350 Killiecrankie P&K, | 80 Pease Dean B. Only 7 at 4 sites Shet, 1 Fair Is & 16 at 7 sites Ork - all Apr-Jun. | Breeding: few reports but very common, early and successful in forestry areas of Bord and D&G with _ perhaps highest-ever numbers, stimulated by the excellent cone-crop. c100 Kildalton & 200 Torris- _ dale Arg 16-25 Aug; 100 at Cluny P&K 24 Aug: ' 100 Brodick Arran Bute 27 Aug; 150 Craigurd B, | 25 Gladhouse L 11 Sep were probably all local birds. _ Heavy passage of migrants on E coast from mid- ) Oct & Nov except in Shet & Fair Is where worst- | ever year. 100 Tyninghame L 10 Oct & 470+ along E.Loth “) coast 14-30 Oct; 50-100 on Ork 17 & 31 Oct; 150 61 Carron, 100 Delnapot, 100 Mundole M&N 20 Oct; 250 Cruden Bay NE 21 Oct; 150 Tummel Bridge P&K 11 Nov; 370 St.Abb’s-Eyemouth B 7-27 Oct, 3,000 Ae Forest D&G 12 Nov and similar numbers Tweed Valley around Peebles B in Dec reflect good breeding, augmented by migrants in response to best cone crop for years. Linnet Carduelis cannabina Largest winter flocks in S&E: 2,000 West Craigie L 24 Jan; 1,200 Caerlaverock D&G 31 Jan; 200+ flocks in NE 1, Loth 5, Bord 1, D&G 1. Flocks in N&W and inland areas rarely exceeded 50 birds. Small numbers moving N.Isles 14 Apr-16 May with 9 Shet & c8 Fair Is. Breeding: Little data but c32 prs Ork. No autumn birds on Fair Is for first time since 1973 and only 2 on Shet. Many flocks of c100 birds Aug & Sep: Ork 1, Caith 3, Suth 1, M&N 2, P&K 1, Loth 2, Bord 1, Ayr 4. Largest flocks: 650 Lanark Cly 2 Sep; 350 Eyemouth B 11 Sep; 400+ Fife Ness F 30 Sep; 400 Newtonhill NE in Sep; 350 Covesea M&N 11 Nov; 450 Perth P&K in Dec; c400 Crail F 30 Dec; 500 Cruden Bay NE 31 Dec. Twite Carduelis flavirostris Widespread in N&W: biggest flocks - 200 Eorrabus Arg 10 Jan; 400 Kinbuck Cent 12 Jan; 80 Crook of Baldoon D&G 14 Jan; 150 Holm Ork on 17 Jan; 600 Braco P&K 28 Jan; 80 Spiggie Shet 8 Feb; 100 Gladhouse L 24 Mar; c500 Strathallan P&K 1 Apr; 65 Balranald OH 6 Apr. Passage Fair Is 13 Feb-13 May, max 120 birds on 27 Apr & 13 May. Breeding: numbers apparently stable except for SE where 2 definite and 3 other summer records in Loth & Bord are first for many years, perhaps related to return of winter flocks. Strong autumn movements in N.Isles with flocks of 150+ on c8 dates 26 Aug-24 Oct. Largest flocks: 300+ Balelone OH 17 Sep; 1,000 L.Watten Caith 18 Nov; 400 Osmondwall Ork on 25 Nov; 350 Nunton OH 29 Nov; 200 Wigtown Bay D&G 3 Dec; 630 Braco P&K 31 Dec. 4 flocks of 20+ birds in SE and Lanark Cly reflect resurgence of S populations. 62 Scottish Bird Report 1990 Redpoll Carduelis flammea 250 L.Loy M&N, 240 Killiecrankie P&K 20 Jan; 100 Penicuik L 15 Feb were by far the largest winter flocks. Parties of up to 40 birds were more typical. Movements Apr-early May: 85 Auchness M&N on 6 Apr; 80 Killiecrankie mid-Apr; 72 Glen Prosen A&D in May. Little useful comment on breeding but first breed- ing for Uists OH at Skipport Plantation. Flocks from Aug: 10+ Meile Chreoch Ayr 18 Aug; 100L.Rannoch P&K 1 Sep; 250 Whiteadder Res.L 25 Sep; but parties generally smaller than winter 89/90. Lesser Redpoll John Busby Ny *Mealy Redpoll C.fflammea Poor year except in N.Isles where numbers normal with 5 Shet, 9 Ork wintered. 9 Portmore B 3 Feb was only other report. Passage N Isles from 25 Mar to 11 Jun with cl7 Shet, 6 Fair Is & 2 Ork. 5 OHeb included 4 singers Stornoway Woods. 1 Is of May 23 Apr was only record in S. *Greenland Redpoll C.f,rostrata 1 Hirta, St.Kilda OH 22 Sep with another there 25 Sep; 1 Drimsdale OH 23 Sep; 1 Fair Is 1-3 Oct; and 1 Sollas OH 26- 27 Oct. *Arctic Redpoll Cardiuelis hornemanni N&W Isles only. 1 Spring- 1 Fair Is 23 Apr. 1 Hirta, St.Kilda OH 21 Sep; 1 Fetlar Shet 28 Sep; 3 Whalsay Shet 30 Sep-4 Oct; 3 Unst Shet 6 Oct; 1 Stronsay Ork 21 Oct with 2 there 23 Oct. [1989] 1 at CarnoustiecA&D from 1988 to 30 Apr. y . *Two-barred Crossbill Loxia leucoptera 11 birds from midsummer: pair Fair Is 25-31 Jul; | 1 Hoy Ork 31 Jul- 6 Aug; 1 juv FairIson 16 Aug; | 2 Graemeshall Ork 18 aug, with 3 there on 19- 21 | Aug; single juv Fair Is 23 Aug; 1 Sandwick Ork | 26-27 Aug; 1 Fair Is 20 Oct; 1 juv Kergord Shet | 22 Sep. See Harvey (1990) Birding World 3 (8) 266-267. Common Crossbill Loxia curvirostra See paper by David Jardine in this volume for | details of the 1990 irruption. | | Only positive records from NE Scot stronghold! with no reports from Inv & Ross. 8 Glen Tanar 14 Jan; 15 Glen Quoich on 31 Mar; 12 Glen Lui 16 Apr; small numbers Keiloch in | May; 19 Mar Lodge 8 Jun. Elsewhere in P&K observers claim probables (from calls): 1 Black Wood of Rannoch 19 May and 13+, inc juve Killiecrankie in late May. Scottish Crossbill Loxia scotica | *Parrot Crossbill Loxia pytyopsittacus 2 singles: $ Fair Is 23-24 Sep and ?Whalsay Shet 14 Oct. i *Common Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus c | 35 spring, almost exclusively N.Isles. 1 Fetlar Shet 2-3 May; 1 Fair Is 24 May; sinalel Shet, Ork 28 May; 1 Reay Caith 29 May; 1-2 dail Fair Is 29 May-8 Jun; 2 Ork, 1 Jun; 1 Shet 3 Jur! then 7 Shet, 1 Ork 5-6 Jun; 1 Hirta, St.Kilda OH oF | 8 Jun; 2 Ork 10 Jun. Breeding: pr Argyll 12 Jun-15 Jul,? seen soheri nest material 16 Jun, but no further evidence C breeding. c 37 autumn, again mostly N_Isles: 1 Skerries Shi 19 Aug; 1 Fair Is 20 Aug. Shet c14 birds on 12 days 19 Aug-6 Oct, max’ Foula 25 Aug, 3 Fetlar & 1 Haroldswick on 6 O¢ Fair Is c9 birds with singles on 22 dates betwe( 20 Aug-27 Sep, max 20n 25 Sep; Orkc12 birds,@ - on N.Ronaldsay, on 9 days 6 Sep-14 Oct, max2@ ° 6, 20 &24 Sep; Is of May singles 13 &20 sp) [1989] 1 ad f'Arg' 14 Jun. Bullfinch Pyrrhula ts | b Unremarkable year: max flocks 35 Red Moss L Be 13 Oct and 20+ Almomess D&G in early Oct. [ Good numbers on passage in N: Shet 37 at 14 sil8 - . - l f - R.D.Murray [Ed] 21 Oct-17 Nov: Fair Is 8 birds 18 Oct-22 Nov. 3 Is of May 21-23 Oct were northern race P.p.pyrrhula as were singles Usan A&D 20 Oct & Cruden Bay NE 24-27 Oct. Hawfinch Coccothruastes coccothruastes Usual thin scatter of records in likely breeding _ areas: NE Scot 1 Crathes Castle 11 Jun, after no reports for several years; A& D 2 Brechin Castle & 1 Camperdown Park were new sites; P&K singles Pitlochry, Bonskeid 7 & 14 Feb, 1 Scone 8 Jun with pr br2 there 24 Aug, 4 Quarry Hill 13 Oct, 2 Scone Den 24 Oct; Loth 2 prs Tyingnhame all year; Bord _ pr Kelso 1 Jan, 1-2 Hirsel on 4 dates 13 Apr-30 May with 5 there 9 Dec, pr Monteviot in Jun. - Passage birds only in N Isles: singles N. Ronaldsay - Ork 6 Apr, Kirkwall Ork 30 Jun, Fetlar Shet 15 Jul & Whalsay Shet 23 Oct. - *Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia ‘ Ist-winter o'/adult 2 Helendale Shet 3-4 Nov was - first Scottish and only second British record. ~ See Suddaby (1990) Birding World 3 (11) 381-382. *Blackpoll Warbler Dendroica Striata ,| Ist-winter Sumburgh Shet 6 Oct. _ Lapland Bunting Calcarius lapponicus Only wintering in SE. _ Max 4 Aberlday L 9 Jan, 2 there 6 Feb & 13 Mar with last single there on 16 Mar; 1 Musselburgh L 2 Jan & 31 Mar; 1 Eyemouth B on 13 Jan, 2 there 16 Feb. Passage: c12 N.Ronaldsay Ork 6-19 Apr, with 3 on 11 Apr and max 6 on 16 Apr; 1 Fair Is 5 Apr; 1 Is of May 10-11 May sang briefly. Autumn: | Fair Is, 1 St.Kilda OH 3 sep; 6 singles Shet 22 Sep-22 Oct; regular Fair Is to 31 Oct, max 20 on 29 Oct; 15 Ork on 10 days 20 Sep-31 Oct, max 4 N.Ronaldsay 28 Sep; c24 Hirta, St.KildaOH on 8 days 8-25 Sep with 5 on 12 Sep & 8+ on 22 Sep; 2 Is of May 24 Sep; 1 Uisaed Pt Arg 26 Sep; 1 Fife Ness F 1 Oct; 1 St.Abb’s B 17 Oct; 4 Is of May 21- E25 Oct. Winter, again only in SE. 1 Tyninghame L 11 Nov, 2 there 8 Dec; 1 Eyemouth B on 28 Oct , 3 on 10 Nov, rising to 18 on 25 Nov _ and max 30+ on 9 Dec with 17+ on 15 Dec and drop to 8 on 30 Dec. 63 Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis Large wintering flocks mainly in N&E. 72 L.Calder Caith & 40 Balmedie NE 6 Jan; c200 at 4 sites M&N 2-14 Jan & max 150 Pittendreich P&K in Jan; 50+ Corsencon Ayr 14 Jan; 70 Loch Thom Cly 28 Jan; 150 Balranald OH 1 Feb; 80 Mid Yell Shet 8 Feb; max 32 Fair Is Jan-Feb; 90 Kirkwall, 200 Deerness & 105 N.Ronaldsay Ork 23-28 Feb; 42E Blackhope Scar L 25 Feb. Passage: 40 Musselburgh L Mar; 227 N.Ronaldsay 9 Mar; 150 Yell Shet 15 Mar; 90 Fair Is, 126 North Ronaldsay 4-5 Apr. Last records Bord 5 Apr, Caith, D&G, P&K, Suth 17-22 Apr; Loth, Fair Is O.H 1-8 May; Ork 16 May; Shet 14 Jun. Breeding: song Lochnagar NE 10 Jun; 1 site in W.Highlands & 2 in NE Scot - midsummer snows delayed some pairs, mostreared young but second broods and re-lays were less successful; flocks of up to 20 juvs seen in late summer. 1 early bird Eday Ork 4 Sep. 2 phase arrival with first records Fair Is 14 Sep; Shet 19 Sep; OH, Arg, Caith by 23 Sep; Is of May, Bute, Loth by 28 Sep; then Bord, Fife, D&G 1-5 Nov; P&K, 11 Nov; M&N, Ayr by 29 Nov. Heaviest passage late Sep with 160 Fair Is 23 Sep; 235 at 3 sites Shet 27-30 Sep; 80 N.Ronaldsay 28 Sep; followed by 100 Fair Is 5 Nov & 230 Glen Lyon P&K 11 Nov. Winter numbers poor: 3 Shet; 12 Fair Is; max flock 80 Ork; 40 Caith; none Suth; ‘even fewer’ M&N; c90 NE Scot; 1 D&A; 12 Loth; 20 Bord; 1 Ayr. Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella 200 Ascreavie A& D 14 Jan; 200+ Bogside Ayr on 1 Feb; 140 Clatto Res. A&D 12 Feb; were much larger flocks than the next largest , c50-80 birds, reporte st other areas. Singles Fair Is on 28 Mar, 21&29 Apr. Suggestion of decline in P&K where few breeding records and no autumn flocks. Good autumn passage N.Isles: 11 Shet on 10 days 12-31 Oct; daily Fair Is 12-31 Oct, max 6 there on - 22 Oct; c25 Ork on 13 days 17 Oct-1 Nov, max 9 N.Ronaldsay 25 Oct. Fewer and smaller flocks Oct/Dec - max c50 in Caith, M&N and Bord with best 100 Milngavie & 200 Linwood Cly in late Dec, suggests poor breed- ing. 64 *Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana 2 spring, 4 autumn. Singles Fair Is 20-21 May & 23-27 May. 1$/imm Cruden Bay NE 9 Sep; singles N.Ronaldsay Ork 17&18 Oct; then 1 juv Fetlar Shet 24 Oct. *Rustic Bunting Emberiza rustica 3 spring, 1 autumn, all singles. 12Sumburgh Shet 28 May, moved to Grutness on 29-30 May; 1a Sumburgh 30 May; 1?Hirta, St.Kilda OH 1-11 Jun. Im Fair Is 3-5 Oct. [1988] 1 Yell Shet 17 May. *Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla 1 spring, 7 autumn. | Fair Is 15 May. 1 Out Skerries Shet & 1 Fair Is 22 Sep; 1 Unst Shet 24 Sep; 1 North Ronaldsay Ork 3 Oct; 1 Stronsay Ork 5 Oct; 1 Fair Is 18 Oct, 3 on 19 Oct, 2 on 20 Oct and 1 to 25 Oct. [1989] 1 Sanday Ork 24 Sep has not been accepted by BBRC. *Yellow-breasted Bunting Emberiza aureola 12/imm Fair Is 27-29 Aug, another ? /imm there 9-14 Sep. Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniculus 160 Holm Crk 4 Jan; 60+ Bowermadden Caith on 12 Jan; 20 Rossie Moor A&D 12 Feb; 20 Greenloan- ing & Errol P&K in Jan were largest flocks men- tioned. 8 wintered Shet. Passage Fair Is: 1 on 20 Mar, 1-3 on 13 days 2-24 Apr, 1-2 on9 days 7-18 May & 1 on7-8 Jun. 1 Hirta, St.Kilda OH 29 May. Breeding: A&D 22 territories L. of Kinnordy; Loth 35 OAT Aberlady Bay & 31 Threipmuir Res; Cly 26 Lochwinnoch. Scottish Bird Report 1990 Numbers down Tay reedbeds P& K in late summer. Few passage birds Shet; 1-6 daily Fair Is 23 Sep- 1 Nov; 57 N.Ronaldsay Ork 5 Oct; 80 Orphir Ork 30 Nov. Winter flocks: 67 Inch MossL4 Nov; 60Lochmaben D&G 27 Nov; 47 Drimsdale, S.Uist OH 15 Dec; | 150 Murkle Caith 31 Dec. Corn Bunting Milaria calandra 2 large flocks, 173 Drakemyre, Cairncorrie NE lon | 6 Feb & max 90 Findochty M&N 28 Feb were | exceptional, the previous M&N record being of 23 | birds. Also 63 Boghead, 19 Ethie Barns & 29 Arbroath | cliffs A&D 5-6 Jan. Best flock in S was 10 Isle of Whithorn D&G on 28 Jan. Breeding: clear Moray Firth and Fife. NE Scot 16 & Hill of Belnagoak but many other | sites: A&D population shift from south of area to northern coastal sites; Fife survey revealed min of 76 singing & in E.Fife from Newport to Lower) Largo. Also 22 @ in study site Balranald OH and 4) sites Ork. In S population decline continues: Loth 9 sites, mainly in E.Loth; Bord 11 &, all Eyemouth area; Ayr disappeared from Ardrossan & Heathfield) areas but 5 #at3 sites; D&G5 Be at3 sites; Cly — apparently extinct. | 6 Merryhatton L 23 Oct; 22 Arbroath cliffs in late Dec; 1 Portnahaven, Islay Arg 30 Dec. | *Yellow-headed Blackbird 13m) 1.34 Average number of birds per hectare - all plots, small trees (<13m) 0.65 Maximum number of birds per hectare 13237 More rigorous work on songbird populations in spruce forests in spring 1991, which was not subject to the above biases, was carried out by Aberdeen University for the Forestry Commission Wildlife and Conservation Research Branch (I.J.Patterson pers comm.). This estimated densities of crossbills of between 1.08 and 3.19 birds per hectare in Argyll and between 2.17 and 13.63 birds per hectare in Northumberland. With around 475,000 hectares of coniferous forests in Scotland over the age of 20 years itis possible to suggest from Table 3 that there were at least half a million (500,000) birds present during the winter of 1990/91. The actual wintering population may hav been in the range of one to five million birds if the problems associated with methodology are taken into account. Crossbill were breeding during the survey period and counters were aot always able to establish the age of the birds involved so it is not possible to suggest the number of pairs involved. yi Comparisons with Previous Invasions Knox (1986) in The Winter Atlas suggests that there could be less than 1,000 Common Crossbills in Britain l and Ireland when there has been no irruption but that the population rises to several times that figure following lan invasion. (Unfortunately he does not commit himself by defining “several”). Two conclusions, however, nay be drawn from the work done on the populations wintering in 1990/91: the invasion in 1990 was possibly it) he best-ever recorded in Scotland; and it is probable that previous estimates of Crossbill populations have not aken into account the increasing area of suitable habitat and have been unduly pessimistic. ve) } Acknowledgements if! am indebted to the many hundreds of observers providing their records and to the unstinting help of the SOC et ounty recorders who collated them thus making the task of producing a national summary considerably less apa In particular I should also like to thank Harry Dott, Mark Holling, Oonagh McGarry, Ian Munro, ay Murray, Graeme Prest and Geoff Shaw who provided valuable points count information which was used nthe analysis of winter populations. Steve Petty and Ian Patterson kindly gave me access to information from she Aberdeen University/FC study and the former kindly read an early draft of this paper and contributed to ts improvement. | Xeferences ilmberg, J. 1991 in European News British Birds 84:1-12 sordon, A.G. (in prep) The Seed Manual for Forest Trees Forestry Commission Bulletin 83. H.M.S.O., - now, A.G. 1986 Common Crossbill in The Winter Atlas T.&A.D.Poyser, Calton |.ocke, G.M.L. 1987 Census of Woodlands and Trees 1979-82. Forestry Commission Bulletin 63. H.M.S.O., Nead, C.J. & Clark, J.A. 1991 Report on Bird Ringing for Britain and Ireland for 1990. Ringing and Migration 12: 139-176. Jethersole-Thompson, D. 1975 Pine Crossbills. T.&A.D.Poyser, Calton ‘ogers, M.J. and the Rarities Committee Report on rare birds in Great Britain in 1990. British Birds 84: 449-504. | Javid C. Jardine 61 Eastwood Grange Road, Hexham, Northumberland, NE46 1UE. 70 Scottish Bird Report 1990 EL ES TT NE DS A RR Pa PMMA EAT NW SE PT Notice to Contributors | All records should be sent directly to the appropriate SOC Local Recorder. They should be on on eside of a | sheet of paper only, and if possible in the Voous order (as in this report). Some Local Recorders can cope with | computer-based data and welcome material on floppy disc (always accompanied by hard-copy). You should ; ask the Local Recorder concerned for the particular arrangements necessary if this option is available. | Observers are directed to the Local Bird Reports for the type of information required although the data in any : Report can only be taken as the minimum requirement. To avoid duplication of records, names of observert present should be given where appropriate. All notes for the year should be sent in promptly to Recorders by | the end of January, but more frequent submissions will be welcomed. Monthly or quarterly submissions | spreads the Recorders workload. Appeal for Information Compilation of the Scottish Bird Report has made me realise the variation in the manner that data is presented to Local Recorders. I would like to take this chance to appeal to observers to contribute as full information) | as possible. This is particularly important insofar as breeding data is concerned. The more detail, the better, For instance it is useful to list the numbers of territories/ singing males/ pairs etc for particular sites. When) more details on breeding are available the number and size of broods, the numbers fledged and any data or failures can be useful. Many reports contain records of ‘3 broods of Mallard at site x’ while ‘3 broods with 23 young’ is much more useful and allows comparison from area to area and year to year. Likewise many ringers must handle broods of common birds (where any data is usually lacking on breedin|) for local and national reports) routinely recording the brood size. This type of information could be immensel} useful to Recorders and allow substantive comments to made about some species. Nest box schemes i| particular lend themselves to this treatment but please say how many pairs, how many broods and how man| young - a mean brood size on its own in not much help! The Scottish Birds Records Committee List of species considered by the S.B.R.C. CORY’S SHEARWATER Long-tailed Skua DARTFORD WARBLER 7 GREAT SHEARWATER Mediterranean Gull Barred Warbler * Little Egret RING-BILLED GULL Yellow-browed Warbler * PURPLE HERON Roseate Tern * PALLAS’S WARBLER White Stork Little Owl Firecrest * FERRUGINOUS DUCK BEE-EATER Red-breasted Flycatcher * SURF SCOTER LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER Bearded Tit Honey Buzzard WOODLARK Marsh Tit “ Red Kite RICHARD’S PIPIT ~ Willow Tit MONTAGU’S HARRIER TAWNY PIPIT Crested Tit “ Rough-legged Buzzard Water Pipit NUTHATCH Hobby CETTI’?S WARBLER WOODCHAT SHRIKE Crane SAVI’?S WARBLER Chough “ STONE CURLEW AQUATIC WARBLER SERIN Little Ringed Plover Marsh Warbler * (preferably trapped) Scarlet Rosefinch * wa KENTISH PLOVER Icterine Warbler * CIRL BUNTING ( Pectoral Sandpiper MELODIOUS WARBLER Ortolan Bunting Buff-breasted Sandpiper i. KEY Capitals - All records should be:submitted to the SBRC. Lower Case - These species can be submitted to the SBRC at the discretion of the Local Recorder. . ~- Northern Isles records can be judged locally. | ; i age East coast/Northern Isles can be judged locally. | : A - Records from the normal breeding range should be judged locally. i ‘R.D.Murray [Ed] Map LOCAL BIRD REPORTS AREAS, SOC RECORDERS and LOCAL BIRD REPORTS Theareas listed below in bold capitals are the areas referred to throughout the systematic list. The number assigned to each recording area is nreference to this map. The fullest details for most areas is available in the Local Bird Report, listed below. Recording Area SHETLAND (except Fair Isle) FAIR ISLE ORKNEY OUTER HEBRIDES (Harris & Lewis) (Uists, Benbecula & Barra) CAITHNESS SUTHERLAND INVERNESS & ROSS (Badenoch & Strathspey, Inverness, Ross & Cromarty, Lochaber, Skye & Lochalsh MORAY & NAIRN (Moray and Nairn) Buckie NORTH-EAST SCOTLAND (Banff & Buchan, Gordon, Kincardine & Deeside, Aberdeen) ANGUS & DUNDEE (Angus & City of Dundee) PERTH & KINROSS (Perth & Kinross) FIFE (Dunfermline, Kirkcaldy, N.E.Fife) Local Recorder David Suddaby 92 Sandevin, Lerwick Shetland ZE1 ORU Paul Harvey Bird Observatory Fair Isle Shetland ZE2 9JU Chris Booth 34 High Street Kirkwall, Orkney KW14 1AZ Peter Cunningham 10 Barony Square Stornoway Isle of Lewis PA872TQ Tim Dix 2 Dreumasdal South Uist PA81 5RT Eric Maughan Burnside, Harbour Rd. Reay, Thurso Caithness KW14 7RG Tony Mainwood 13 Ben Bhraggie Drive Golspie Sutherland KW10 6SX Colin Crooke Etive House, Beechwood Park Invemess [V2 3BB Martin Cook Rowanbrae, Clochan Banffshire AB5 2EQ Ken Shaw 4 Headland Court Newtonhill Kincardine AB3 2SF Martin Scott \ 33 John Street, Arbroath Angus DD11 1BT Wendy Mattingley Cluny House, Aberfeldy Perthshire PH15 2JT Douglas Dickson 45 Hawthom Dnive, Thomton Fife KY1 4DZ Local Bird Report Shetland Bird Report Ian Sandison 9 Burnside, Lerwick Fair Isle Bird Observatory Report FIBOT 21 Regent Terrace Edinburgh EH7 5BT Orkney Bird Report Mildred Cuthbert Vishabrack, Evie Orkney Outer Hebrides Bird Report Tim Dix (below) Outer Hebrides Bird Report (from Recorder) Caithness Bird Report (from Recorder) Moray & Nairn Bird Report (from Recorder) North-east Scotland Bird Report Mark Tasker 17 Rubislaw Terrace Aberdeen AB1 1XE Angus & Dundee Bird Report (from Recorder) Perth & Kinross Bird Report (from Recorder) Fife Bird Report (from Recorder) 71 —_ LT SNE TE EE TILE TET ETT TGS ISTE SEE LD TS TT TIS ET EIT) 72 Scottish Bird Report 1990 ST PR a IR SS Map _ Recording Area Local Recorder Local Bird Report 13 ISLE OF MAY Tan Darling Isle of May Bird Observatory Report 579 Lanark Road West (from Recorder) Edinburgh EH14 7BL 14 CENTRAL Dr.Cliff Henty in Forth Naturalist & Historian (Clackmannan, Falkirk 7 Coneyhill Road, Bridge of Allan L. Corbett, University Library Stirling -Forth drainage area only) Stirlingshire FK9 4EL Univ. of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA 15 ARGYLL Mike Madders Argyll Bird Report (Argyll & Bute -except Smithy Cottage, Lochdon Nigel Scriven, Ardentinny Centre Isle of Bute) Craignure, Isle of Mull Ardentinny , Dunoon Argyll PA64 6AP Argyll 16 BUTE Bernard Zonfrillo Arran Bird Report (Arran only) Cunninghame 28 Brodie Road Tristan ap Rheinalt, Ashgrove (Isles of Arran, Bute and Cumbrae) Glasgow G21 3SB Pirnhill, Isle of Arran KA27 8HP 17 CLYDE (Clydesdale, East Kilbride, lain Gibson Clyde Birds Motherwell, Hamilton, Monklands, 2 Fulton Crescent (from Recorder) Strathkelvin, Renfrew, Inverclyde, Kilbarchan, Renfrewshire Clyde drainage of Stirling area, PA10 2EB Clydebank and Dumbarto, Glasgow, Eastwood, Bearsdean & Milngavie 18 AYRSHIRE Angus Hogg Ayrshire Bird Report (mainland Cunninghame, Kyle & Kirklea, Crosshill (from Recorder) Carrick, Cumnock & Doon, Maybole, Ayrshire KA19 7RJ Kilmarnock &Loudoun) 19 LOTHIAN Tan Andrews Lothian Bird Report 15 The Parsonage, Musselburgh Paul Speak, 49 Douglas Crescent Midlothian EH21 7SW Longniddry, East Lothian EH31 OLH 20 BORDERS Ray Murray Borders Bird Report 4 Bellfield Crescent (from Recorder) Eddleston, Peebles Borders EH45 8RQ 21 DUMFRIES & GALLOWAY | (Nithsdale, Annandale, Eskdale) Ken Bruce Dumfries & Galloway Bird Report (Stewartry & Wigtown) Mallaig, Wellington Street Glencaple, Dumfnes DG1 2RA Paul Collin Gairland, Old Edinburgh Road Minnigaff, Newton Stewart Wigtownshire DG8 6PL Abbreviations for recording areas used in text: (see Stewartry) Dumfries & Galloway Bird Report Joan Howie, 60 Main Street St.John's Town of Dalry Castle Douglas, Kirkcudbrightshire Shet Shetland Arg Argyll j Fair Is Fair Isle Cly Ciyde Ork Orkney Ayr Ayrshire OH or OHeb Outer Hebrides D&G Dumfries & Galloway ( Caith Caithness | Suth Sutherland Abbreviations used in tables: I&R Inverness & Ross the data for recording areas has been combined as follow M&N Moray & Nairn N.Isles Shetland, Fair Isle & Orkney NE or NE Scot North-east Scotland W.Isles Outer Hebrides ! 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