The Twentieth ARGYLL BIRD REPORT With Systematic List for the years 2004/2005 Edited by Tom Callan Assisted by Paul Daw Systematic List by Paul Daw Assisted by Bob Furness (seabirds) and Tom Callan ISSN 1363-4386 Copyright: Argyll Bird Club Argyll Bird Club Scottish Charity Number SC008782 March 2008 Founded in 1985, the Argyll Bird Club aims to promote interest in and conservation of Argyll’s wild birds and their natural environment. The rich diversity of habitats in the county supports an exceptional variety of bird life. Many sites in Argyll are of international importance. The Club brings together people with varied experience, from complete beginners to experts, and from all walks of life. New members are particularly welcome. Activities Every spring and autumn there is a one-day meeting with illustrated talks and other features. These meetings are held in conveniently central locations on the mainland. Throughout the year there are field trips to local and more distant sites of interest. Publications The annual journal of the Club is the Argyll Bird Report, containing the Systematic List of all species recorded in the county during the year, together with reports and articles. The less formal quarterly newsletter, The Eider, gives details of forthcoming events and activities, reports of recent meetings and field trips, and articles and shorter items by members and others. Website www.argyllbirdclub.org Honorary Secretary: Katie Pendreigh, The Whins, Ferry Road, Tayinloan, PA29 6XQ. Tel. 01583 441 359 E-mail: [email protected] To apply for membership, please (photocopy and) complete the form below and send to our Membership Secretary: Sue Furness, The Cnoc, Tarbet, G83 7DG. Tel. 01301 702 603 E-mail: [email protected] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I/We wish to apply for membership of the Argyll Bird Club. Name(s): Address: ___________________ Postcode Telephone number(s) __________________ E-mail ________________________ Please make cheques payable to “Argyll Bird Club”. If you wish to pay by standing order, which reduces our administration and costs, please ask the Membership Secretary to send you the appropriate form. Annual subscription (please tick): Ordinary £10 Junior (under 17) £3 Family £15 Corporate £25 2 Argyll Bird Club Officials and Committee as at Chairman Nigel Scriven, 2 Allt na Blathaich, Loch Eck, Dunoon PA23 8SG Vice-Chairman vacant Secretary Katie Pendreigh, The Whins, Ferry Road, Tayinloan, PA29 6XQ Treasurer Prof. Bob Furness, The Cnoc, Tarbet, Loch Lomondside, G83 7DG Committee Richard Allan, Roger Broad, Tom Callan, Danielle Clark, Paul Daw, Ian Hopkins, Dr Steve Petty, Richard Wesley, David Wood Membership Sue Furness, The Cnoc, Tarbet, G83 7DG Secretary Argyll Bird Dr Tristan ap Rheinallt, Roger Broad, Jim Dickson (Secretary), David Records Committee Jardine, John Bowler, Dr Malcolm Ogilvie Editor of Argyll Bird Tom Callan, Corra, Otter Ferry, Tighnabruaich, Argyll, PA21 2DH Report Editor of The Eider Dr Steve Petty, Craigielea, Kames, Tighnabruaich PA32 2AE (newsletter) Other useful addresses S.O.C. Recorder for Argyll: Paul Daw, Tigh-na-Tulloch, Tullochgorm, Minard, Inveraray PA32 8YQ. Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) Organiser for Argyll mainland & Mull: Paul Daw, Tigh-na- Tulloch, Tullochgorm, Minard, Inveraray PA32 8YQ. B.T.O. Representatives for Argyll: North Argyll, Mull, Coll, Tiree & Morvern: Sue Dewar, Auchnacroish House, Torosay, Craignure, Isle of Mull, Argyll PA65 6AY Islay, Jura and Colonsay: John S. Armitage, Airigh Sgallaidh, Portnahaven, Islay, Argyll PA47 7SZ. Argyll South, Bute and Gigha: Richard Allan, An Grianan, Easdale Road, Isle of Seil, Oban, PA34 4RF R.S.P.B. Conservation Officer, Argyll & Bute: Andy Robinson, 3 Contents Editorial Tom Callan 5 Systematic List for 2004/5 - Introduction 6 Paul Daw/Bob Furness/Tom Callan Swans 17 - 18 Geese 18 - 24 Ducks 24 - 39 Game birds 39 - 40 Divers & grebes 41 - 43 Fulmar, shearwaters, petrels 43 - 46 Gannet, cormorants, egrets, herons 46 - 50 Raptors 50 - 59 Rails 60 - 62 Waders 62 - 81 Skuas, gulls, terns 81 - 100 Auks 100 - 101 Pigeons & doves 102 - 103 Cuckoos & owls 103 - 106 Nightjar, swift, kingfisher, woodpeckers 106 - 108 Skylark, swallows, pipits, wagtails 109 - 114 Waxwing to wheatear 114 - 118 Thrushes 118 - 122 Warblers 123 – 128 Goldcrest, flycatchers, tits, treecreeper 128 - 131 Orioles, shrikes & crows 131 - 135 Starlings, sparrows, finches 135 - 141 Buntings 142 - 144 Escapes & introductions 144 Rejected and Pending records 145 - 147 References, acknowledgements & contributors 147 - 149 Index 150 - 153 4 EDITORIAL Firstly, our apologies for the long delay in getting this report out. We are still catching up on the backlog of work that arose from the huge effort that went into producing the Birds of Argyll book. However this has had some advantages. Some crucial data was not available until as late as spring of 2008! e.g. many of the WeBS counts. The function of the annual Bird Reports is (we think) to give as comprehensive an overview of bird life in Argyll for the year in question as possible. It would be possible to produce a much briefer and partial picture considerably sooner after the event but this would have far less lasting value. Up to the minute news on rare birds and notable events is probably better presented through the medium of The Eider magazine and the club website. There seems to be a developing trend whereby records of birds (especially from some of the islands) are only to be supplied via websites or through e-mail groups. The compilation of these reports already involves a vast amount of work and life is simply not long enough to spend much time trawling through websites for nuggets of information. The most useful information consists of sets of records for a particular local patch throughout the year. They do not just have to relate to rare birds. Without this kind of local information on the more common species it would have been impossible to compile Birds of Argyll. The BTO on-line system BirdTrack also aims to collect this kind of data. We are very happy if you prefer to use this method.. The BTO kindly enable us to extract bird records relating to Argyll from the system and the recorder does this regularly. It is important though to make your records as specific as possible. The BirdTrack system allows one to submit records for a 10km square but these are really of very limited use when compiling the bird report. What is needed are records relating to a 1km square or, failing this, a Tetrad. For those who don’t use computers or the internet paper records are still quite acceptable. The standard form that is available from the recorder for this purpose is already used by several club members. At present we are particularly short of good local records from Islay (apart from RSPB reserve data) and Mull. Unless some relevant data is forthcoming shortly this will be reflected in the next report (ABR21 for 2006/2007), which we have already started on! Please accept our apologies for any errors that remain despite the many hours that went into compiling and editing this report. Lastly can we urge you to get involved with work on the 2007-11 Bird Atlas. It is going to be a real struggle to achieve full coverage for Argyll and the more help we get the better. The Atlas will potentially provide the most comprehensive picture we have ever had of bird distribution in Argyll at all times of the year. Tom Callan/Paul Daw. 5 Argyll Bird Report 20 Systematic list for 2004-2005 Paul Daw Tigh-na-Tulloch, Minard, Inveraray, Argyll, PA32 8YQ Tel. 01546 886260 E-mail: [email protected] INTRODUCTION The following systematic list includes entries for 224 Category A, B and C species recorded in Argyll during 2004 and 219 such species recorded in 2005 (cf average 214 species during the years 1993 – 2003). Unusually no new species were added to the Argyll list, which remains at 328 species, in either year. However, a record of a Redhead (which would be a new species for Argyll) on Tiree in Dec 2005 is still in circulation with BBRC at the time of writing. Records for three category E species in 2004 and 2 in 2005 are also listed, as are 6 additional races in 2004 and 5 in 2005. For the information of readers we have included at least a status summary in the text of all species on the Argyll list except those in Category B (see beginning of the systematic list). To save space we have dispensed with the month by month Ornithological Review for this issue. BIRD RECORDING IN ARGYLL Advice to contributors When submitting records, sightings should be listed in species order used in this report and should include the following details: Species name. The commonly used English name is usually sufficient (British Birds – List of English Names), but scientific (Latin) name is helpful if reporting sub-species. EURING Code No. If possible as this helps to speed up computer input. Date. Please give exact date whenever possible (rather than ‘June’ or ‘Spring’) as this makes the record much more valuable and enables us to relate it to other records received. Grid reference if known. The six figure ref. is preferred, but a four figure ref. is often sufficient. Location name. Used in conjunction with the above to avoid ambiguity (e.g. there are umpteen Loch Dubhs in Argyll) but mistakes can also occur with grid refs! 6 Number of individuals. Precise number whenever possible or, failing this, an estimate. Even a rough estimate is more useful than ‘many’, ‘large flock’, ‘several’ or ‘few’, which are too subjective to have much value. Sex and age if known. Other interesting comments are always welcome e.g.