270 271 Map No. of Map No. of Seel. Details. Ref. Nests. -Seci. Details. Ref. Nests. The Mute Swan in Coodham III. Glengall 3518 557 ROBERT C. WALLS (3 sections) ... 4033 594 (2 sections) ... Martnaham House 3917 554 Cralgie During the Spring of 1955 a census was made of the mute swan Carbieston Byres 3920 323 (2 sections) ... 4232 144 Raithhill 4222 119 (cygnus olor) population in Britain. The results were published in Adamhill 4330 155 Stair 4424 813 * Bird Study, the journal of the British Trust for Ornithol .gy ; Dollars New Coylton ... 4219 661 . those for Scotland in Vol. 5, p. 45, and those for England and (3 sections) ... 4633 698 Pottery 4419 39 Wales in Vol. 7, p. 208. Carnell 4632 197 Barturk 4922 119 House 5023 72 i Bruntwood 5032 46 My contribution was a count, as complete as I could manage in the time at my disposal, of the swans in our county and their Righead 4932 76 (2 sections) ... 5021 52 ' Milrig 5034 179 5420 423 nests and cygnets. Owing to the mobility of the birds and the Sornhill Lugar 5921 71 length of time necessarily spent on the search, totals can only be (2 sections) ... 5134 262 Duncanziemore 6121 17 approximate. In addition, birds which are too young to breed, Kyle 6519 105 Auohencloich ... 5332 16 and birds which have failed in their efforts to nest, congregate Craigbank 6012 329 in suitable places in herds, which increase in size as the season Ardnith 6013 70 . Kaimes 6926 60 Auchincloigh ... 4916 284 advances. Mains 5427 298 Sinclairston 4716 109 Black Dyke ... 5328 80 Waterside The swans are fairly evenly distributed over the county's South Logan ... 5524 20 (4 sections) ... 4308 124 waters, which provide suitable food, and are generally below the Balloohmyle Hollybush 3914 234 700 ft. contour line. There were counted 33 nests, 114 cygnets Doonside Mill ... 3814 573 Hospital 5226 50 and 206 adult swans, as shown in the map and tables. Dalrymple Netherplace 4927 407 (3 sections) ... 3614 207 I.—NESTS. By Railway Bridg e E. Mains Hill ... 3412 227 4727 89 Monkwood and over road Map Remarks with Dates of Minishant Auchinweet 4529 63 lulu. Cygnets. Visit and/or Revisit. (2 sections) ... 3314 74 Reference. Locality. 4527 201 ParkhiU Barony Colliery 5222 84 Barrhill 4527 52 26/192630 3 mis. N. Largs. 2 0 Deserted, 2 eggs seen Westhill IV. Sauchrie House and Otterden {18 Jun.) (3 sections) ... 4728 462 26/391563 Rovvbank Reservoir. (2 sections) ... 3014 726 2 7 Nest Renfrewshire, Montgomerie Maybole 3010 21 swans .\vrshire 4426 152 (2 sections) ... Nether Culzean 3111 48 (4 Jun.) 26/249478 Munnock Reservoir. Westaeld 4227 75 Blanefield 2508 445 2 8 (11 Jun.) Drumley Hospital 4025 524 Trochrague 2100 21 26/296493 Dairy. 2 2 3 hatched, 1 lost in Killochan Adamton 3727 118 flood (25 Jul.) (2 sections) ... 2200 380 Enterkine 26/304435 Kilwinning (Dam). New Dailly 2601 235 2 5 (11 Jul.) 4123 50 Entrance New Dailly 26/305433 Kilwinning. 2 0 Deserted, 2 eggs seen Auchincruive Station 2602 109 (2 sections) ... 3823 61 Kirkmiohael (25 Jul.) 26/238430 Ardrossan. Craigie House House 3408 311 2 5 (11 Jul.) and Holmston Straiton 26/256414 Saltcoats. 2 0 3 eggs robbed by (2 sections) ... 3521 103 (2 sections) ... 3805 351 Barr 2794 17 boys (11 Jul.) Seafield Hospital 3521 40 26/270415 Stevenston. Auchle wan 2392 297 2 5 Only 4 cygnets on 3320 132 Belleisle Lendal Water ... 1490 54 25 Jun. 26/458411 Craufurdland. o 0 Eggs robbed (7 May) Newark Castle... 3218 254 Groseolays 0985 548 Doonholm and Colmonell 1586 133 26/319385 Irvine Bridge. 2 0 5 eggs washed away Doonside Barrhill (25 Jul.) (3 sections) ... 3318 368 (2 sections) ... 2381 82 26/485370 Bankhead. 1 0 Pen shot. 9 hard-set eggs. New pen with cob or new pair on 24 June. 273 272

.«Had3.i}ia-/o/ .11

Map Remarks with Dates of Reference. Locality. Adults. Cygnets. Visit andjor Revisit.

26/356357 ' 1 ml. W. Drybridge. 5 eggs originally; logs laid on mud \ suggests interfer• ence later (lljun.) s 26/393325 Coodham. (11 Jun.)

26/760285 Loch. (12 Jun.)

26/539249 1 ml. E. Catrine. 7 originally (20 May)

26/350212 Ayr (Craigie House). (22 May)

26/435215 Trabbooh. (22 May)

26/590220 1 ml. N. Lugar. (25 Jun.)

26/392176 L. Martnaham. Reported as succe.ss- fully reared 26/394180 L. Fergus. (18 Jun.)

26/385174 Snipe Loch. 6 eggs robbed (5 Aug.) 26/595151 L. Creoch. 4 eggs, 1 infertile (20 Jun.) 26/225099 Culzean. (17 Jun.) ,

26/439083 Waterside. ^' (24 Jun.) '^'r^''-'^

26/473053 Bogton Loch. (26 Jun.) .,.^„..,,

26/203027 Dipple. (10 Jun.) All at Gir• van (17-21 Jun.) Returned to Dipple, minus 1 cygnet. 25/196987 j 1 ml. E. Girvan. 2 Eggs reported taken. Sitting (29 Jun.) 25/085823 ' Stinchar mouth. 2 (18 Jun.) • Herd. 26/606137 1 ml. W. New , 2 • A Nest with 6555 or^oun^. 26/606135 1 ml. W. 2 Pond next to pre• vious nest pond e Single (25 Jun.) birds or pairs. 26/328382 Near Irvine. May be from used --—-^J It I.,.,11 'iw.i.T '.. linn} ~Hy.fUi' nest at old colliery (ref. given) or from FIG. 4.—Status of Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) in Ayrshire- within Ardeer factory site (18 Spring 1955 ,, .>,„ Jun.) 26/376210 Ayr Harbour. May be from used nest near Gateside (ref. given (24 Jun.) 274 275

IL-NON-BREEDERS. Map Reference. Local-ity. No. Remarks.

1l1ap Reference. Local·ity. No. Remarks. 26/290082 Glenside Reservoir, Maybole 2 (13 May)

26/240438 Ardrossan Reservoir. 2 (11 Jun.) 26/341084 Kirkmichael. 2 Probably seven-year. olds, ex. Culzean, 26/330535 Kilbirnie Loch. 7 Herd (4 Jun.) wings clipped (7 May) 26/298416 River, S. Kilwinning. 2 (28 May) 26/326073 River, Crosshill. l (13 May)

26/453447 Burnfoot Reservoir. 2 (4 Jun.) 26/291032 River, Dailly. 1 M'1te frozen to death in ice early in year 26/437410 North Craig Reservoir. 2 (28 May) (13 May) 26/332052 Kirkbride. 2 Royal swans obtained 26/300400 Garnock Mouth. 4 2 pairs half-mile apart two years before (28 May) (13 May) 26/280410 LC.I. Factory. 3 Reported by employee :W/236007 Bargany. 1 ( 3 May) (10 Jun.) 26/310390 Irvine mouth. 21 Herd (28 May) 25/080783 Ballochdoan Reservoir. 2 (10 May)

26/356370 River near Dreghorn. 2 (17 Jun.)

26/411360 River, Caprington. 2 (28 May)

26/420362 ' Water meeting, 2 (28 May) 26/429369 R. Irvine, Kilmarnock. 2 (28 May) 26/498367 vVaterside Farm, Galston. 2 River flood pond (7 May) 26/344279 Pow Burn mouth. 2 (27 May) 26/760285 Glenbuck Reservoir. a Herd (3 May) 26/392235 River, Auchincruive. 2 (22 May)

26/371213 R. Ayr. 2 (22 May)

26/340220 Ayr. 42 (22 May). Herd nos. reached 93 (30 Jun.) 26/325190 Doon mouth. 2 (7 May)

26/388176 ¼-ml. W. Loch Fergus 2 Wet rushy field (13 May) 26/398174 L. Martnaham. 2 (13 May) 26/603147 Loch o' Lowes. 2 Had tried nesting (20 May) 26/619141 New Cumnock. 1 River by station (20 May) 26/225099 Culzean Swan Lake. 2 One-year-olds, probab­ ly from Maidens, and chased by cob of nesting pair (7 May) 26/221098 Port Cary. 2 Two-year-olds from Swan Lake (7 May) 26/209082 Maidens Harbour. 2 One.year-olds (7 May)