Category: Rarities

Rock Pipit or Water Pipit?

1/1/2020

Ayrshire Birds (2020)

Rock Pipit © Dave Grant

Want to brush up on the differences between Rock Pipit and Water Pipit? This handy cut-out-and-keep poster by Dave Grant from Ayrshire Birding will be a great help

Ivory Gull rescue and release

1/6/2019

Scottish Birds 39:2 (2019) p184-186

Ivory Gull © Andrew Russell

A sick Ivory Gull rescued from a garden in Dumfries and Galloway draws a large crowd after it is returned to good health at Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue Centre. Over a hundred people watched the release of this rare high-arctic gull in Ayrshire. Click here to read.

Identifying 'Siberian Chiffchaff'

1/1/2019

Ayrshire Birds (2019)

Siberian Chiffchaff © Dave Grant

Handy one-page guide for identifying this subspecies of Chiffchaff from an article by Dave Grant in Ayrshire Birding

Water Pipit ID

1/12/2017

Scottish Birds 37:4 (2017) p338-341

Water Pipit © Stuart Gilles

In this article, Stuart Gilles gives us a masterclass in identifying this very scare wintering bird with some stunning images.

Breeding Ring-necked Parakeets in Glasgow

1/12/2017

Scottish Birds 37:4 (2017) p316

Ring-necked Parakeets © Chris McInerny

The first proved breeding of Ring-necked Parakeets in Scotland occurred at Victoria Park, Glasgow in 2017. Birds had been seen prospecting a nest site the previous year. Susan Harris closely monitored the birds in 2017 and Chris McInerny brings us up to date with the developments in this article.

Caspian Gull at Strathclyde Country Park in 2008

1/1/2015

Clyde Birds 22 (2015) p97-99

A Caspian Gull, Larus cachinnans, was discovered at Strathclyde Country Park during February 2008. This first winter bird constitutes the first record of this species for the Clyde recording area. Christopher McInerny and Keith Hoey's article for Clyde Birds can be read here.

Two Lesser Scaup at Hogganfield in 2008

1/1/2015

Clyde Birds 22 (2015) p94-96

In October 2008 two Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis were found at Hogganfield Loch in east Glasgow, the first occasion that more than one bird of this vagrant Nearctic species has been found at the same place in the Clyde recording area. You can read more of Christopher McInerny's article here including descriptions and photographs of both birds.

Lesser Scaup © Chris McInerny

Tree Sparrows in Lanarkshire

1/12/2014

Scottish Birds 34:4 (2014) p340-342

During the course of fieldwork, Jimmy Maxwell discovered nine pairs of the rare and declining Tree Sparrows at a farm in Lanarkshire. All were actually using holes and cracks in the various buildings on the farm and he found none in trees. Click here to read the article.

Spotted Sandpiper at Baron’s Haugh in 2014

1/12/2014

Scottish Birds 34:4 (2014) p369-370

Davie Abraham describes the excitement of finding a breeding-plumaged Spotted Sandpiper at his local patch. A rare vagrant from America, this was only the second record for the Clyde. His article can be read here.

Hawfinch in Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow in 2005

1/1/2007

Clyde Birds 17 (2007) p120-125

In Spring 2005, Christopher McInerny was searching Kelvingrove Park for migrant passerines when he came across a largish finch-like bird sitting on the top-most twigs of a tall, leafless tree. It was a Hawfinch. His description of the bird and previous records of Hawfinch in Clyde are detailed in this report from Clyde Birds

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