Bute Bird Report 2017 Compiled by Doug Menzies (Assisted by R. W. Forrester and I. Hopkins) Species Accounts Mute Swan - Cygnus olor - Resident breeding species. A pair with 5 signets at Loch Quien on 5 July (IH), a pair with 2 cygnets on the Kirk Dam on 17 May, but they had disappeared by 24 May (IH) and another pair had four signets at Greenan Loch on 20 July (IH) but a pair there on 1 September with 5 signets (VS). Ten on the sea at Southpark, Ascog on 2 June (NMcK) is unusual. Whooper Swan - Cygnus Cygnus - Winter visitor in increasing numbers with a winter flock gathering at Kirk Dam. Notable counts include 40 at Kirk Dam on 11 January (IH), 26 in fields at Birgidale Knock on 17 January (IH, JW), 46 at Barnauld Farm on 9 March (IH), 24 Kilchattan Bay and 12 at Barnauld 26 March (IH, PMcT). Still 7 at Kirk Dam on 4 April (DM, IH) and 4 on Greenan Loch on 10 April(DM). Unusually, for the time of year, one was present at Ettrick Bay from 3-8 July (JW) and possibly the same bird was at Loch-na-Leigh on 11th (JW). Birds started arriving again in October, with the first sightings being of 16 at Acholter Farm on 17 October (DM). Winter counts then followed with, 23 including 9 immatures at Greenan Loch on 2 November (RF, DC), 30 at Kirk Dam on 30 November (IH), 50 (including 10 juveniles) at the Kirk Dam on 10 December (IH), then 35 on 15 December (RF) and 31 on 28 December (RF). Pink-footed Goose - Anser brachyrhynchus – Passage migrant in small numbers, usually in mixed flocks with migrant Greylag Geese. 2 Ballycaul Farm on 7 January (RF), 1 with Greylags at Cranslagvourity on 26 January (DM) , 2 at Ardnahoe Farm on 19 February (IH), and 3 at Kilmory on 13 December (IH) represent a fairly poor year for this species. White-fronted Goose (Greenland sub-species) - Anser albifrons - Winter visitor. Small flock winters on Bute each year. The largest counts during the early part of the year were at Nether Ardroscadale, with c.130 on 11 March and 127 on 22 March (IH). The first winter arrival was seen at Kilmory Flats on 25 October (IH), followed by 55 seen flying towards Inchmarnock on 2 November (RF, DC). The largest count of the late winter period was c.125 at Ballycaul on 1 December (IH). Greylag Goose - Anser anser – Resident breeder and winter migrant, with resident population increasing rapidly in number during recent years. Winter counts include c.900 around Bute on day of annual goose count, 8 January (IH). A bird possibly incubating on a ledge above West Kyles on 15 April (IH). Counts that would only include ‘resident’ birds were 330 at Little Kilmory on 11 August (DM) and 250-300 at Ettrick Bay on 23 September (RE). Winter counts included c.1,540 on a ‘round island’ count on 14 December (IH) and c.1,720 seen on a similar ‘round island’ count on 28 December (IH). Canada Goose - Branta canadensis – A resident breeder with numbers increasing rapidly in recent years. Hybridization with Greylag Geese recorded. Counts include 153 at Kilmory on 13 January, 150 at Little Kilmory on 11 August (DM), 110 at Loch Quien on 1 September (VS), 110 at Ettrick Bay on 23 September (RE), 132 at Kilchattan Bay on 15 December (IH), and 180 on a ‘round island’ count on 27 December (IH) An adult seen with 10 young in Balnakailly Bay on 26 May (IH). Barnacle Goose - Branta leucopsis – Winter passage migrant, in small numbers. 6 at Ballycaul Farm on 7 January and 5 on 12th (RF), 40 at Kilchattan Bay on 8 January (IH, TD), 6 at Little Kilmory on 27 February (IH, DM, PP), 6 at Nether Ardroscadale on 12 March (DM), 1 at Little Kilmory on 11 August (DM), 6 at Kingarth on 15 October (IH), 1 at Ettrick Bay on 20 October (JW), 8 at Kilmory on 14 December (IH) and 11 at Kilchattan Bay 15 December (IH). This is a ‘better than average’ showing. Brent Goose – Branta bernicla – Rare winter visitor to Bute. A ‘pale bellied’ bird with Greylags at Little Kilmory on 23 March (IH, DM). This was the first record on Bute since a ‘dark bellied’ bird in 2011, also at Little Kilmory. Shelduck - Tadorna tadorna – Resident, with increased numbers during winter. Counts at Kilchattan Bay include 9 on 17 January (IH, JW), 26 on 9 March (IH), 12 on 30th and 31 October (IH) and 13 on 27 December (IH). 3 juveniles were at Ettrick Bay on 22 August (IH). Wigeon - Anas penelope – Primarily a common winter visitor, often in large flocks, recorded at all of the islands fresh water lochs and increasingly around the coast, however numbers at inland lochs have significantly declined over the last ten years. Winter counts include 149 at Greenan Loch on 15 January, 122 on 12 February and 129 on 12 March (RF), 100 at Loch Quien on 16 January (IH, DM), 149 at Greenan Loch on 26 October (RF) and 240 at Kirk Dam on 18 November (RF). Peak count for all lochs was 549 in February (RF,DM,IH). A pair were at Kirk Dam on 1 July (JW) and 4 were there on 12 July (JW) Gadwall - Anas strepera – Scarce winter visitor with records becoming more frequent. Not recorded in 2017. Teal - Anas crecca – Common winter visitor. Counts include 347 at Loch Quien on 16 January (IH, DM), 130 at St Ninian’s Bay saltmarsh on 28 September (DM) and 131 at Greenan Loch on 26 October (RF). Peak count for all lochs was 242 in February (RF,DM,IH). Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos – Common resident breeder. Good count at Kirk Dam were 88+ on 19 July (JW) and 140 on 27 July (IH). Other counts included 100+ at Greenan Loch on 16 September (NMcK), 82 at Ettrick Bay on 28 September (DM), c.100 in flooded field at Kingarth on 15 October (IH) and 91 at Greenan Loch on 26 October (RF). Pintail – Anas acuta- Scarce winter visitor. A single male was seen regularly at Greenan Loch from 7 January until 6 April (RF et al.), present with a second male on 7 March (IH) and one was at Loch Quien on 12 February (IH). Garganey – Anas querquedula – Scarce winter visitor. Not recorded in 2017. Shoveler – Anus cypeata – Scarce winter visitor. Not recorded in 2017. Pochard - Aythya ferina – Scarce winter visitor. Not recorded in 2017. Tufted Duck - Aythya fuligula – Common winter visitor and scarce breeder. Counts included 35 at Greenan Loch on 15 January (RF), 50+ at Loch Quien on 1 September (VS), 41 at Loch Quien on 23 September (RE) and 33 at Greenan Loch on 26 October (RF) , peak total count for all lochs was 54 in October (RF,DM,IH). A pair at Greenan Loch on 27 May (IH). Large numbers, possibly including non-breeding birds, were present at Quien Loch throughout the summer, including 38 males and 3 females on 5 July, 45 on 18 July and 50 on 29 August (IH). Scaup - Aythya marila- Scarce winter visitor. Not recorded in 2017. Eider - Somateria mollissima – Resident breeder with population decreasing. No significant counts were noted. Annual round island boat trip on 21 September counted only 10 birds (IH,DM,IA) , although there were 26 in Kames Bay on 26 September (IH). Long-tailed Duck – Clangula hyemalis –Scarce winter visitor. 2 females were at Loch Quien from 15 January until 12 March (IH, DM, JW, RF). Common Scoter – Melanitta nigra – Scarce winter visitor. At Kilchattan Bay, 7 females/immatures were present on 7 January (RF et al.), 6 on 9 February (IH,DM) and 3 on 19 and 21 February (IH). 1 was at Kames Bay on 19 November (AC) and 1 male at Kilchattan Bay on 15 December (IH). Goldeneye - Bucephala clangula – Common winter visitor found on both, freshwater lochs and around the coast. No significant counts were noted, with 9 at Loch Fad on 20 February being the largest number on any loch (IH), peak count for all lochs was 16 in January (RF,DM,IH). Red-breasted Merganser - Mergus serrator – Common resident breeder found in small numbers around the coastal waters of Bute. Counts include 22 at Ettrick Bay on 22 August (IH) and 21 there on 3 September (IH). A round island boat trip on 21 September recorded 54 (IH,DM,IA). An inland sighting was of one at Kirk Dam on 27 October (PMcT). Goosander - Mergus merganser – Winter migrant with occasional summer records. Winter reports included 12 at Kirk Dam and 6 at Greenan Loch on 14 January (IH), 9 at Quien Loch on 19 January (RF), and male Ardbeg shore 26 January (JW) and 11 at Loch Fad on 22 February (IH). Spring/early summer birds included 2 males at Rhubodach on 2 April (DM), a pair at Ardbeg Point on 9 May (MMcD) and a male at Loch Ascog on 10 June (IH). Autumn and winter reports included 3 ‘redheads’ at the North end of Bute on 21 September (JW), 18 at Greenan Loch on 18 November (RF), and 10 males plus 1 female at Loch Ascog on 10 December (DM). Peak count for all lochs combined was 18 in November (RF,DM,IH). Red Grouse –Lagopus lagopus – Once abundant but now uncommon on the upland moors of Bute. The only report was of singles seen in Glen More on 11 February and 25 March (JW). Black Grouse -Tetrao tetrix – Small number resident at North Bute.