The Twenty third ARGYLL BIRD REPORT With Systematic List for the years 2010/2011 Edited by Tom Callan Assisted by Paul Daw Systematic List by Paul Daw, Bob Furness and Tom Callan Assisted by Malcolm Chattwood, Jim Dickson, Mike Harrison, Katie Pendreigh and Nigel Scriven ISSN 1363-4386 Copyright: Argyll Bird Club Apr. 2013 Argyll Bird Club Scottish Charity Number SC008782 January 2012 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. 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, field trips, 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, Arrochar 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 Feb 2012. Chairman Nigel Scriven, 2 Allt na Blathaich, Loch Eck, Dunoon PA23 8SG Vice-Chairman Mike Harrison, 8 Ferryfield Drive, Connel, Oban PA37 1SP Secretary Katie Pendreigh, The Whins, Ferry Road, Tayinloan, PA29 6XQ Treasurer Prof. Bob Furness, The Cnoc, Tarbet, Dunbartonshire, G83 7DG Committee Tom Callan, Malcolm Chattwood, Paul Daw, Mike Harrison, Andy Robinson, David Warden. Membership Sue Furness, The Cnoc, Tarbet, Dunbartonshire G83 7DG Secretary Argyll Bird Dr John Bowler, Roger Broad, Jim Dickson (Secretary), David Records Committee Jardine, Dr Malcolm Ogilvie and Simon Pinder Editor of Argyll Bird Tom Callan, Corra, Otter Ferry, Tighnabruaich, Argyll PA21 2DH Report Editor of The Eider Dr. Steve Petty, Cluaran Cottage, Ardentinny, Dunoon, Argyll PA23 (newsletter) 8TR Other useful addresses S.O.C. Recorder for Argyll: Paul Daw, Tigh-na-Tulloch, Tullochgorm, Minard, Inveraray PA32 8YQ Secretary Argyll Bird Records Committee: Jim Dickson 11 Piper Road, Cairnbaan, Lochgilphead, PA31 8UF 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: Arthur Brown/Rod Little. E-mail: [email protected] / [email protected]. Islay, Jura and Colonsay: John S. Armitage, Airigh Sgallaidh, Portnahaven, Islay, Argyll PA47 7SZ. E-mail: [email protected]. Argyll South, Bute and Gigha: Jim Cassels. E-mail: [email protected] R.S.P.B. Conservation Officer, Argyll & Bute: Andy Robinson, RSPB S&W Scotland RO, 10 Park Quadrant, Glasgow, G3 6BS 3 Contents Preface. Paul Daw 5 Systematic List for 2010/11 - Introduction 6 Swans 18 - 19 Geese 20 - 28 Ducks 28 - 42 Game birds 42 - 44 Divers & albatross 44 - 46 Fulmar, shearwaters, petrels 47 - 49 Gannet, cormorants, egrets, herons 49 - 54 Grebes 54 - 55 Raptors 55 - 65 Rails 65 - 68 Waders 68 - 101 Skuas, gulls, terns 102 - 115 Auks 115 - 117 Pigeons & doves 118 - 120 Cuckoos & owls 120 - 123 Nightjar, swifts, kingfisher, woodpeckers etc. 124 - 126 Vireo, oriole, shrikes 126 - 127 Crows 127 - 130 Goldcrest – tits 131 - 134 Larks 134 - 134 Swallows & Long-tailed Tit 135 - 137 Warblers 137 - 144 Nuthatch, treecreeper, wren, starlings 144 - 146 Dipper & thrushes 146 - 150 Flycatchers, robin, nightingale, chats 151 - 155 Dunnock & sparrows 155 - 156 Wagtails & pipits 157 - 160 Finches 160 - 167 Buntings etc. 167 - 170 Escapes & introductions 170 - 172 Rejected and Pending records 172 - 174 References, acknowledgements & contributors 175 - 176 Index 177 - 180 4 PREFACE This report is thankfully rather more timely than its recent predecessors. To a large extent this is thanks to the assistance we have been fortunate to have from several members of the Argyll Bird Club Committee in the writing of the individual species accounts. The accounts for the sea-birds (including divers, shearwaters, herons, waders, gulls, terns and auks) were compiled by Bob Furness, Tom Callan was responsible for some of the game-birds and many of the passerine species and I wrote the accounts for wildfowl, raptors and the species covered by the various rarity committees (see below p. 8). In addition, Malcolm Chattwood wrote the accounts for some game-birds, swift, kingfisher, woodpeckers and crows, Mike Harrison the doves, cuckoo, hirundines, wagtails and pipits, Nigel Scriven the finches and Katie Pendreigh the rails. Jim Dickson went through my work on the rarities with a fine tooth comb and John Bowler kindly checked the final draft for errors and omissions. This still leaves quite a heavy workload for some of our contributors and we would like to involve more club members in the work of compiling species accounts for future reports. You do not need to be an expert birder for this task; it’s simply a matter of summarising the records from our database. If you think you might be able to help with this please contact the Paul Daw or any member of the Argyll Bird Club committee. Once again records derived from fieldwork for the BTO 2007-11 Bird Atlas project have made a large contribution to the following species accounts. It will be fascinating to see the final picture of current distribution and population density of birds in Argyll when the Atlas is published this autumn. Two major weather events have made a significant impact on the numbers, distribution and breeding success of Argyll birds during the period covered by this report. The winters of 2009–10 and 2010–11 in the UK were the coldest in the past 25 years. This had a noticeable effect of the populations especially of resident songbirds, which can clearly be seen in the reduction in number territories found for species such as Wren and Robin during the CBC surveys as Taynish NNR. It also affected species such as Common Stonechat, which had disappeared, at least temporarily, from many of their usual locations, or had at least been greatly reduced in numbers. The other significant weather event was the gale on 23 May 2011. This was exceptionally severe for the time of year and as well as causing a noticeable burning off effect on newly emerged tree leaves wreaked havoc with the nests of species such as Osprey. We are told that such extreme weather events may become more frequent in future due to climate change, making it is even more important that we closely monitor the fortune of our local birds and other wildlife. These reports are our contribution, as a club, to this task. As always, my grateful thanks go out to all those who sent in the records on which this report is based, to all those concerned with the writing of this publication and to our editor who has endeavoured, as ever, to maintain the high standard we aim for in this report. Paul Daw - April 2012. 5 Argyll Bird Report 23 Systematic list for 2010-2011 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 236 Category A, B and C species recorded in Argyll during 2010 and 231 such species recorded in 2011 (cf. average 218 species during the years 1993 – 2009). Four new species were added to the Argyll list (viz. Pallid Harrier, Brown Shrike, Red-rumped Swallow and Northern Parula), which stood at 342 species seen up to Dec 2011. Records for 5 category E species in 2010 and 2 in 2011 are also listed, as are 8 additional races* in 2010 and 10 in 2011. These totals exclude the extinct Great Auk, which was once found in Argyll. They also exclude Lesser Canada Goose and races of Greater Canada Goose as these records are still of uncertain status. * Including Feral Pigeon. BIRD RECORDING IN ARGYLL If all records are received in an approved standard format it is very quick and easy to add them to the database. To make it easier for club members (and others) to do this we have devised a user friendly automated bird record template. You simply enter the basic information about the birds you have seen and the template produces a standardised Excel file of records that can be automatically e-mailed to the Recorder. With just a little practice you can also use it to keep your own bird records. To use this system you will need a PC with Excel software and an internet connection. The software comes complete with full instructions and I am also happy to talk people through the system on the phone if help is needed.