Thursday 20th November

80 Fieldfares were at Glen Banks and 5 Whooper Swans were nearby in a stubble field beside Kerelaw in Stevenston. Today was the last day that a Garden Warbler was present in my garden. It had arrived the previous Friday and spent most of its time feeding in my apple tree. A very unusual record for this time of year.

(Photos: Garden Warbler)

Tuesday 18th November

50-60 Waxwings were in the trees along the cycle path beside the Woodmill housing scheme at Irvine Road in Kilwinning. 104 Golden Plover and 30 Dunlin were on the Garnock Estuary at Bogside. 184 Teal were on the upper estuary.

Sunday 16th November

A Kingfisher was at the River Garnock just downstram from the viaduct by the Garnock Floods; 3 Gadwall and 16 Whooper Swans (inc. 3 juvs) were on the upper estuary; a Short-eared Owl was hunting over Bogside Racecourse; 3 Crossbills flew over from the Black Powder Wood at Ardeer to the Garnock East plantation; 4 Crossbills were feeding in the conifers on Bogside Golf Course.

c.150 Waxwings were feeding along the High Road in Saltcoats late afternoon.

(Photos: Whoopers; Common Crossbills; Waxwings)

Tuesday 11th November

A Kingfisher was in the Willow scrub along the Master Gott at the Ardeer Quarry LNR site, and 38 Tufted Duck were with the Long-tailed Duck on the Ardeer Rec Pond.

Monday 10th November

A late Wheatear was on a stormy Stevenston Beach.

Wednesday 12th November

7 Shovelers were at Garnock Floods; a ringtail Hen Harrier was hunting over Garnock East Ponds; a drake Gadwall was on the upper estuary; a Short-eared Owl was having success hunting over Bogside Racecourse; another Short-eared Owl (or perhaps the same one?) was hunting over the overgrown field across the River Irvine from Bogside Racecourse.

Sunday 9th November

The Long-tailed Duck was still on the Ardeer Rec Pond. 36 Tufted Duck were also there - the highest count yet for the pond.

Friday 7th November

2 Grey Plovers were on the Garnock Estuary at Bogside; 12 Crossbills were flying around Bogside Golf Course; a ringtail Hen Harrier was high over Garnock East; and at least two Short-eared Owls were at Bogside.

(Photoes: Short-eared Owl; Grey Plover)

Wednesday 5th November

A walk form Auchenkist farm past Lochwood Farm, past Diddup Farm, past Glen Banks, and down to Kerelaw produced small numbers of farmland birds (concentrated around the few stubble fields in the area):
3 Yellowhammers were in the roadside hedge near the walled field at Auchenkist - 2 Redpolls were feeding on the roadside vegetation. A flock of 43 Chaffinches were feeding in a field. 70 Linnets and 30 Skylarks were in the large stubble field between Glen Banks and Kerelaw. 8 Mallard were in the neighbouring semi-permanent pool.

Monday 3rd November

A pair of Gadwall were on one of the Garnock East ponds, along with 5 Tufted Duck. c.8 Brambling were moving between the various areas of woodland. Another 4 Gadwall were on the upper Garnock Estuary (appeared to be another 2 pairs). 10 Goldeneye, 124 Teal, and a Kingfisher were also on the upper estuary. 3 Grey Plover and 32 Dunlin were downstream at Bogside. A ringtail Hen Harrier was hunting over Bogside Racecourse and a Short-eared Owl was up briefly.

An immature Long-tailed Duck was on Ardeer Rec Pond. A Redshank was at the pond too.

(Photo: Long-tailed Duck)

Sunday 2nd November

In the countryside north of Stevenston there were good numbers of passerines feeding in the stubble fields NW of Kerelaw. I didn't count the Linnet, Skylark, and Chaffinch, but there were c.20 Reed Bunting present. A bit further up the farm track towards Glen Banks I flushed a Woodcock from the roadside hedge. Nothing much was on Ashgrove Loch, but further round towards High Smithstone 4 Yellowhammers flew over.

Friday 30th October

A count at Stevenston Beach produced:
197 Oystercatcher
32 Redshank
21 Sanderling
1 Dunlin
44 Ringed Plover
4 Turnstone
1 Grey Plover
1 Whimbrel
7 Cormorant
5 Shag
1 Red-throated Diver
1 Goldeneye
36 Eider
15 Common Scoter

A Merlin was hunting over the adjacent Beach Park.

3 Shoveler (inc. 2 drakes) and a pair of Gadwall were at the Garnock Floods.

Went down to see the Ruddy Shelduck at Martnaham Loch. Also there, among the Greylags and Canada Geese, were 2 Pink-footed Geese and a Barnacle Goose.

Wednesday 29th October

A count at the Belvedere pond in Eglinton Park produced:
1 Grey Heron
63 Wigeon
30-40 Teal (they flushed)
17 Curlew
1 Snipe
1 Redshank

A pair of Mallard were the only wildfowl on Eglinton Loch. A late Swallow was feeding over the ford.

Ardeer Rec Pond held 30 Tufted Duck (my highest ever count at the site) and 21 Mallard.

Monday 27th October

A count on the upper Garnock Estuary produced:
2 Grey Heron
3 Little Grebe
44 Wigeon
80 Mallard
104 Teal
3 Gadwall (inc. 1 drake)
1 Goldeneye
1 Red-breasted Merganser
45 Lapwing
37 Curlew
12 Greenshank
5 Redshank
4 Snipe

Wednesday 22nd October

6 Whoopers were roosting at Bogside - another 11 flew in to join them and a single bird was on the upper estuary. 338 Wigeon were scattered along the estuary. 108 Teal, 83 Mallard, and at least 2 Gadwall were on the upper estuary.

A count at the Belvedere Pond in Eglinton Park produced:
63 Teal
10 Mallard
9 Wigeon
33 Curlew
11 Snipe

c.100 Redwings were feeding on Hawthorns at the edge of the park.

A Grey Phalarope was reported south of Saltcoats Harbour. I went to have a look. It was feeding just off the promenade between Stevenston and Saltcoats.

(Photos: Whoopers and Grey Phalarope)

Saturday 18th October

30-40 Redwings were at Kerelaw in Stevenston, feeding in the extensive scrub. I got a quick glimpse of what was probably a flock of 15-20 Fieldfares.

Yesterday there were 26 Tufted Duck on the Ardeer Rec Pond - a good count.

Thursday 16th October

104 Mallard and a pair of Gadwall were on the upper estuary. A Brent Goose was at Bogside. A Short-eared Owl was up for a brief time at Bogside Racecourse.

Sunday 12th October

A count at the Belvedere Pond in Eglinton produced:
43 Wigeon
36 Teal
(no Mallard)
2 Moorhen
1 Little Grebe
3 Curlew
3 Lapwing
3 Snipe

The 5 Whoopers were on the water at Bogside and a Curlew Sandpiper was on the mudflats.

(Photos: Greenshanks at Doonfoot; Teal; Wigeon & Teal in flight; Whoopers; Curlew Sandpiper)

Saturday 11th October

A Kingfisher was right at the top of the Garnock Estuary; 33 Canada Geese were on the upper estuary, before flying off SE; 5 adult Whooper Swans were roosting at Bogside; 13 Greenshanks were roosting along the Garnock estuary. A Common Lizard was at Bogside Racecourse.

Thursday 9th October

2 Shovelers were on Eglinton Park's Belvedere pond. The tall scrub around the north and west of Eglinton Loch prevented clear views of the ducks roosting in the NE corner, but small numbers of Mallard and Teal were visible.

(Photo: Shoveler)