ARGYLL BIRD REPORT Volume 16 (2000) with Systematic List for the year 1999 The Sixteenth ARGYLL BIRD REPORT with Systematic List for the year 1999 Edited by J.C.A. Craik Assisted by Paul Daw Systematic List by Paul Daw Published by the Argyll Bird Club (Scottish Charity Number SC008782) December 2000 Copyright: Argyll Bird Club Printed by Westprint, Oban. I ABOUT THE ARGYLL BIRD CLUB The Argyll Bird Club was formed in 1985. Its main purpose is to play an active part in the promotion of ornithology in Argyll. It is recognised by the Inland Revenue as a charity in Scotland. The Club holds two one+daymeetings each year, in spring and autumn. The venue of the spring meeting is rotated between different towns, including Dunoon, Oban, Lochgilphead and Tarbert. The autumn meeting and AGM are held in a conveniently central location, usually Lochgilphead or Inveraray. The Club organises field trips for members. It also publishes the annual Argyll Bird Report and a quarterly members’ newsletter, The Eider, which includes details of club activities, reports from meetings and field trips, and articles by members and others. Each year the subscription entitles you to the Argrll BirdReport, four issues of The Eider, and free admission to the two annual meetings. There are four kinds of membership: current rates (at 1 January 2001) are: Ordinary E10; Junior (under 17) M;Family E15; Corporate E25 Subscriptions (by cheque or standing order) are due on 1 January. Anyonejoining after 1 October is covered until the end of the following year. I Further infomtion can be obtained from the Membership Secretmy: Mrs Pam I Staley, 16 Glengilp, Ardrishaig, Argyll PA30 SHT. Argyll Bird Club Officials and Committee as at 1January 2001 Chairman: Nigel Scriven, 2 Allt na Blathaich, Loch Eck, Dunoon PA23 8SG. Secretary: Peter Staley, Lincluden, Blairmore, Dunoon PA23 8TL. Treasurer: Prof. Bob Furness, The Cnoc, Tarbet, Loch Lomondside, G83 7DG. Membership Secretary: Mrs Pam Staley, 16 Glengilp, Ardrishaig, Argyll PA30 8HT. Committee: David Anderson, Roger Broad, Dr Clive Craik, Paul Daw, Helen Doherty, Arthur French, Prof. Bob Fumess, Peter Kirk, Dr Steve Petty, Nigel Scriven, Peter Staley, Bill Staley, David Wood. Argyll Bird Records Committee: Dr Tristan ap Rheinallt, Roger Broad, Paul Daw, David Jardine, Alan Leitch, Dr Malcolm Ogilvie. Editor OfArgyZZBirdReport: Dr Clive Craik, Scottish Association for Marine Science, P.O. Box 3, Oban, Argyll PA34 4AD. Editor of Newsletter (The Eider): Nigel Scriven, 2 Allt na Blathaich, Loch Eck, Dunoon PA23 8SG. 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: Dr Malcolm Ogilvie, Glencairn, Bruichladdich, Isle of Islay PA49 7UN. B.T.O. Representatives for Argyll: North Argyll iiiclrtdiitg Mull, Col1 arid Tiree: Richard Evans, East Croft, Lochdon, Isle of Mull PA64 6AP. Islay, Jura and Colonsay: Dr Malcolm Ogilvie (address above). Soictli Argyll & Gigha: David Wood, Drover’s House, Bellanoch, Lochgilphead PA31 8SN. R.S.P.B. Conservation Officer, Argyll &Bute: Roger Broad, 6 Birch Road, Killearn, Glasgow G63 9SQ. Further copies of this report can be obtained from Bill Staley, 16 Glengilp, Ardrishaig, PA30 8HT. Price E5 including postage. Some previous annual Argyll Bird Reports are also available at E4 including postage. 3 Contents Editorial 5 1 J.C.A. Craik Systematic List for 1999 6 Paul Daw Argyll Bird Checklist - 2000 Update 105 Tristan ap Rheinallt and Paul Daw Breeding of Red-throated Divers on Islay 109 Aubrey and Edith Colling t Editorial Once again, Argyll Bird Club owes a huge debt of gratitude to Paul Daw, the County Recorder, for carefully compiling a detailed and fascinating Systematic List that forms the bulk of this annual report. Each year, many people send their records to Paul. On his shoulders falls the immense task of reducing many thousands of individual records to a readable and logically arranged format. The result, as can be seen in this issue, is a fine summary of the status of the birds of the county. Besides being interesting as records of the immediate past, these annual snapshots of biodiversity are important messages to the future; indeed, many would argue that this is their main value. They are a detailed, although inevitably incomplete account of bird species and abundance in the county. By publishing them year by year, Argyll Bird Club creates a permanent record for use at any time in the future. Time will certainly reveal some increases and some decreases; these may be natural or caused by the activities of humankind. If we do not go on recording in this way, such revelations will not be possible. To take just one example: suppose the Twite were to go the way of the Corn Bunting - not impossible, given the many sudden harmful changes that can occur in land use. Then it would be invaluable to have a detailed summary of its past occurrence, like that on p.97, something we do not and never will have for the Corn Bunting. Another species, the Yellowhammer is rapidly declining and has already disappeared from many areas. We should try to record the details of changes like these. So please continue to send records to Paul, as requested in the Introduction to his article. On behalf of the club, I would like to thank Tristan ap Rheinallt and Paul Daw for their update on last year’s Checklist of the Birds of Argyll, and Aubrey and Edith Colling for their valuable account of Red-throated Divers breeding on Islay. I would also like to convey the club’s warmest thanks to Margaret Staley for again producing a very attractive drawing, one of her best, for the cover of this report [did you notice the eggs?) Thanks also to Edith Colling for the excellent drawing of a Red-throated Diver, on p. 116, and to Margaret Staley again for the attractive vignette of a Dipper on p. 4. May I repeat my request for more people to submit articles or notes to the Argyll Bird Report. Alot of impressiveand interesting work on a variety of species is going on in Argyll, but little finds its way into these pages. Perhaps you can contribute something to next year’s report. Finally, Argyll Bird Club gratefully thanks all others who have contributed to this report, especially the many observers who have sent their observations to the Recorder, several committee members and others for helpful comments, and Julie and others at WestPrint, Oban, for their speedy and most helpful co-operation in printing the final product. J CA Craik Editor of Argyll Bird Report November 2000 5 Argyll Bird Report (2000) 16: 6-104 Systematic list for 1999 Paul Daw ligh.na-Tulloch, Minard, Inveraray, Argyll, PA32 SYQ Tel. 01546 886260 e-mail: [email protected] Introduction The systematic list below includes entries for 225 species, not including escapes or races. Three of these species vi& Black Kite, Semipalmated Sandpiper and White- winged BlackTem are additions to the Argyll List, which now contains 3 IS species. One of the 225 species (Black Kite) was recorded in 1997 but not in 1999 and two (Great White Egret, Bee-eater) in 1998 but not in 1999. The records in question were omitted from previous ArgyZl Bird Reports, due to lack of supportingevidence. This leaves a total of 222 species recorded in Argyll during 1999, making this an exceptionally good year for numbers of species (cfrevised totals of 215 in 1998 (delete Goshawk from and add Great White Egret to species in Systematic List published in ABR 15), 209 in 1997 (add Black Kite and Sabine’s Gull to species in Systematic List published in ABR 141,213 in 1996,204 in 1995,213 in 1994 and 213 in 1993). Perhaps surprisingly, the following were not recorded in Argyll during 1999 and SO have been omitted from the list below: Capercaillie Terrao terrix, Grey Partridge Perdkperdk, Golden Pheasant Chrysolophurpictus,Nightjar Caprimulgus eumpaeus andTree SparrowPasserrnontanus. Some of these may simply have been overlooked, but there have been no records of Nightjar since 1993 and it is the third successive blank year for Tree Sparrow. ORNITHOLOGICAL REVIEW OF 1999 January to March The weather in Jan was very variable. It began with gales and heavy rain; then a short mild period was followed by fine frosty conditions before gales returned mid month. There was snow on the hills later in the month before temperatures rose again at the very end. Our wintering Ring Ouzel was still present in Jan and was seen at CNachan Reservoir NArgyN on 9. AtLochIndaal IslaytheffockofScaupreached 1,12Oon3#Jan .slightlyhigherthan in 1998. Theyarearegularfeature,buttheimmatureSurfScoterfoundatBalephetnsh Bay ‘liree on 8%Jan is only a rare visitor to Argyll. At the other end of the altitude range the record of 3 Ptarmigan near the summit of Ben Cruachan NArgyll on So Jan was one of only two reports received during the year. Numbers of Bar-tailed Godwit were generally well up on 1998 and counts at Loch Indaal and RSPB L. Gminart Islay totalled 261 birds in Jan. On 80 Jan, the Grey Phalarope that appeared at Tayinloan Kintyre was a most unusual winter visitor. 6 SYSTEMATIC LIST 1999 Most of the very few Bramblings present this winter were in found in Jan with six birds recorded at each of Nerabus Islay, Slockavullin Mid-Argyll and Beinn Mhor Cowal during the month. Snow Buntings however were still present in good numbers with ca 50 at Tayinloan Kintyre on 3d Jan, 30 at Loch Gruinart Islay on 9" and 28 at Ardnave Islay on 16". Feb started mild but this was followed by a colder spell with sleet and snow on higher ground.