December ended with a welcome spell of nine dry cold settled days.

In the November Bird Notes, the highlight was undoubtedly the Waxwings.   Particularly in Whiting Bay, ample opportunity was provided to appreciate these stunning birds.   In November groups were reported from Kilmory, Whiting Bay, Brodick, and Corrie.   On 25 December, the pleasure was shared with the west of the island when two were reported in Shiskine.

Also in Shiskine there were reports of Great Spotted Woodpecker at bird feeders.  These birds were first confirmed to be breeding on Arran as recently as 2003 in Merkland Wood.  The spread from Brodick continues, and in 2007 there were records from Corrie in the north to Kildonan in the south. Now they seem to be moving west into the Shiskine Valley.

Another striking bird that turned up in December was a male Mandarin Duck.  It was first reported on the Rosa Burn on 3 December and remained throughout the month.  This is the third winter that this has happened.  The male is an unmistakable bird.  He has a pair of "sail" feathers that are raised vertically above the back, a crest of orange  and cream feathers, and a broad white eye-stripe that is bounded above and below by darker feathers.  The Mandarin duck breeds in eastern Siberia, China, and Japan and winters in southern China and Japan.  While it was once widespread in eastern Asia it is now becoming endangered because of large scale exports and the destruction of its habitat.  In the UK there is a free-flying population stemming from the release of captive bred ducks.  Cowal is the nearest reported breeding colony, but with this regular exploring male we may yet get a colony established on Arran.

On Saturday 13 December, a Red-necked Grebe was seen towards the south end of Whiting Bay.   Around Arran, Red-necked Grebes are occasional winter and passage migrants.  There were no records in 2007 and the last record was also in Whiting Bay on 23-24 October 2006.

Other winter visitors included: seven Whooper Swans at Sandbraes on 2^nd; four hundred Greylags at Kilmory on 10^th; and a male Goldeneye on Sannox Burn on 12^th.   Other bird sightings in December included: a male Merlin at Machrie on 4^th; a Blackcap in Brodick on 6^th; a Golden Eagle being mobbed by two Ravens over the String on 9^th; five Black-throated Divers and one Great Northern Diver off Drumadoon on 13^th; a male Goosander on Machriewater on 14^th; a Moorhen on Port-na-Lochan on 20^th; two Red Grouse east ridge Goat Fell on 26^th;  twenty Purple Sandpipers at Kildonan on 29^th; and an over-wintering  Greenshank at Clachlands throughout  December.

Another long staying bird is the single Magpie, which was regularly reported throughout the month from Brodick Golf Course and gardens in the adjacent area.  While Magpie is common and widespread on the adjacent mainland, it is a vagrant on Arran, with before this year, only seven sightings in the last twenty five years.  I will say more about this bird in the next “Bird Notes.”

On 25 December, Meleagris gallopavo with Oxycoccus palustris gave a lot of pleasure to a great many people on the island.

In January, look out for the returning Gannets.  These majestic birds breed on Ailsa Craig and fish in the waters around Arran.

Finally, here is a date for your diary: the weekend of Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 January.  That weekend stock up your bird feeders, spend one hour of your weekend watching your garden birds, and note down the highest number you see of each bird species.  This is the weekend of the “Big Garden Birdwatch”.   Last year nearly half a million people throughout the UK took part in this valuable exercise.   For more information or to get the form, visit the RSPB website http://www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch/index.asp or phone 0870 600 7108.