Annotated garden bird list for Longniddry, Lothian

This is a list of the species seen in, and flying over, a small garden on Douglas Road, Longniddry, Lothian, Scotland (Local map, Regional map) since August 2004. Longniddry has about 2500 inhabitants and is situated on the coast about a mile south of Gosford Bay. Unfortunately there is no proper view out beyond the immediate neighbourhood - in particular, no view of the sea, so a good proportion of the birds on the garden list have been recorded in flight overhead only.

The percentage of weeks that the regular visitors were recorded during 2005 is included in brackets following the species name as an indicative measure of each species abundance; species which were only seen overhead are marked with an asterisk * and those only heard overhead by a +.

  1. Gannet (Morus bassanus) * - single seen distantly to N, but must be regularly in view high over Forth via a telescope; bit of a cheat!
  2. Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) * - occasionally seen passing overhead, mainly in winter; usually birds going inland at dawn or returning to coast at dusk
  3. Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) * - occasionally seen passing overhead, once apparently coming down to stream to the west
  4. Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) * - a group of 5 birds over mid-Oct 2005, 2 in Oct 2006
  5. Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus) * - a group of 4 flew over on 10 October 2007
  6. Pinkfoot (Anser brachyrhynchus) (10%) * - regular visitor in autumn, with large flocks sometimes seen en route between nearby roost at Aberlady and feeding grounds (peak count 7000 over at dawn on 8/11/04 in six flocks); often heard over during the night too; leucistic (all-white) bird seen on 29/10/05
  7. Greylag Goose (Anser anser) * - two small flocks over in 2005
  8. Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis) * - four birds over in a flock of Pinkfeet on 29/10/05, several autumn records in 2006, including overnight passage
  9. Mallard (Anas platyrhyncos) * - pr over on 25/02/07
  10. Goosander (Mergus merganser) * - single sawbill duck S over on 29/12/06 probably this species
  11. Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) (8%) * - occasionally seen thermalling overhead
  12. Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) (39%) * - regular visitor, with up to 7 individual sightings in one day; a presumed captive bird heard as of summer 2006, eliciting calling responses from passing wild individuals
  13. Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) * - very scarce visitor
  14. Peregrine (Falco peregrinus) * - five records, one on Christmas Day 2004 and another chasing Wood Pigeons in November 2005; 3 more winter 06-07
  15. Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) - single record of a calling male in May 2005
  16. Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) + - nocturnal calls heard on two nights mid-April 2007
  17. Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus) (41%) * - observed (and heard) overhead daily throughout the year, but particularly in winter
  18. Ringed Plover (Charadrius hiaticula) + - singles calling over in May and August 2007
  19. Golden Plover (Pluvialis apricaria) * - heard passing overhead at night in August and small flocks seen over in winter
  20. Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) + - single record over in fog during night in August 2005
  21. Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) * - occasional flocks over in winter, peak 135 in December 2004
  22. Sanderling (Calidris alba) + - single low SW over calling at 00:39hrs on 21/8/06 (10 minutes before high tide)
  23. Dunlin (Calidris alpina) + - single heard over in rain at 00:10hrs on 21/10/06 (100 minutes before high tide)
  24. Redshank (Tringa totanus) + - several records, with a peak in August
  25. Greenshank (Tringa nebularia) + - two August records, one in early October
  26. Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica) + - one calling over in rain on 14 August 2007
  27. Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) + - three or four calling over in rain on 14 August 2007
  28. Curlew (Numenius arquata) * - small numbers over at various times in the year; also audible on the coast 750m N in certain conditions
  29. Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos) + - two calling over in rain on 14 August 2007, another on 19 August 2007
  30. Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus) (73%) - regular winter visitor, rarely seen in late spring and early summer
  31. Common Gull (Larus canus) (24%) - regular winter visitor, not seen in spring and early summer
  32. Lesser Blackback (Larus fuscus) (39%) - common summer visitor
  33. Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) (97%) - present throughout the year with tens or hundreds passing overhead on some days en route to/from coastal roosts
  34. Great Blackback (Larus marinus) * - scarce visitor with single records in February and October
  35. Sandwich Tern (Sterna sandvicensis) * - small group of birds heard moving S overhead at night in rain on 13 August 2004; again over in August 2006, and August 2007; can also be heard from the coast in the right conditions
  36. Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) * - several were heard over on three nights in August 2006, including some definitely moving S, but perhaps returning N later; studies of this species on Teeside have indicated a SW departure at dusk taking birds over to Liverpool Bay (Ward, R.M., Ringing & Migration, 20, 19, 2000)
  37. Feral Pigeon (Columba livia) (31%) - erratic visitor, year-round
  38. Stock Dove (Columba oenas) * - a single in August 2006; probably more regular but never picked up with Wood Pigeon passage so far
  39. Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus) (98%) - very common local resident, which has even successfully bred in our tiny garden!
  40. Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) (55%) - somewhat irregular visitor throughout the year; successful local breeding
  41. Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) - frequently heard calling at night from Gosford Estate woods; regular in August 2006 with a juvenile bird heard; heard daily again through summer 2007
  42. Barn Owl (Tyto alba) - screech call heard in early hours of 27 July 2008; also suspected the previous summer; as we are 200m from the edge of the village (golf course) this makes this a truly suburban owl
  43. Common Swift (Apus apus) (25%) - common summer visitor, (May to August); up to 10 birds regularly (though not confirmed local breeding), and more in occasional "movements", including pre-departure gathering, e.g. 50 high over on 14 August 2007
  44. Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) - only two records
  45. Skylark (Alauda arvensis) (6%) * - regular overhead passage migrant, largest flock 25 in October 2005
  46. Sand Martin (Riparia riparia) * - a group of four birds rapidly W over in 2nd week of April 2006
  47. Swallow (Hirundo rustica) (24%) - regular summer visitor (mid-April to mid-September)
  48. House Martin (Delichon urbica) (37%) - common summer visitor (April to September); breeds locally (and had attempted to build on our house); post-breeding gathering numbered 35 birds in 2004, but has dropped to less than 10 in 2006
  49. Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis) (12%) - regular overhead passage migrant
  50. Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba yarrelli) (10%) - irregular visitor throughout the year
  51. Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea) (8%) - irregular visitor throughout the year
  52. Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) - only one record, in mid-November 2004
  53. Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) (35%) - irregular visitor throughout the year, less common in winter
  54. Hedge Sparrow (Prunella modularis) (82%) - common resident, present in garden in small numbers throughout the year
  55. Robin (Erithacus rubecula) (92%) - common resident, apparently absent in mid-summer
  56. Blackbird (Turdus merula) (90%) - common resident
  57. Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris) (8%) - uncommon winter visitor
  58. Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos) (37%) - regularly heard in song in spring/summer; rare at other times of the year though a few in autumn passage
  59. Redwing (Turdus iliacus) (10%) - autumn passage migrant (peak 220 birds in 15 minutes, September 2005), and winter visitor
  60. Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus) - very rare visitor with only 5 records in 2 years
  61. Grasshopper Warbler (Locustella naevia) - a territorial bird was heard regularly in song from a location about 450m N of the house in mid-May 2006
  62. Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) (4%) - heard in song nearby in spring
  63. Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) - rare visitor, only recorded briefly in song in spring and on autumn passage
  64. Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus) - rare visitor, only recorded on autumn passage
  65. Goldcrest (Regulus regulus) (4%) - rare visitor
  66. Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus) (14%) - irregular visitor, often in company of other tits; visited fat ball in garden March 2006
  67. Coal Tit (Parus ater) (31%) - regular visitor throughout the year, but more in winter and less in summer
  68. Blue Tit (Parus caeruleus) (80%) - common visitor throughout the year, especially winter when up to 14 attracted to feeders
  69. Great Tit (Parus major) (59%) - regular visitor in small numbers throughout the year
  70. Treecreeper (Certhia familiaris) - single record on 11/9/06 on ornamental tree in tiny front garden
  71. Magpie (Pica pica) (92%) - normally present daily in the neighbourhood, with one January council/social gathering of 23 birds in tree outside house
  72. Jackdaw (Corvus monedula) (96%) - regularly observed on aerials, throughout the year; peaks of up to 150 birds; often roosts nearby with Rooks
  73. Rook (Corvus frugilegus) (35%) - regular visitor throughout the year; regularly roosts nearby
  74. Carrion Crow (Corvus corone) (92%) - normally present daily in the neighbourhood, and breeds nearby with 3 juveniles fledged in 2006
  75. Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) (100%) - ever-present resident, peaks of up to 150 birds
  76. House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) (100%) - another common resident and local breeder observed daily in numbers of up to 20 by the end of the breeding season; apparently stable
  77. Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) (63%) - regular visitor throughout the year
  78. Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris) (73%) - regular visitor throughout the year
  79. Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) (33%) - regular visitor throughout the year, always in small numbers
  80. Siskin (Carduelis spinus) (85%) - irregular visitor, mainly in spring/autumn (peak 55 birds, 29/10/05); once on nut-feeder in spring (27/2/05)
  81. Linnet (Carduelis cannabina) (20%) - regularly overhead
  82. Lesser Redpoll (Carduelis flammea) * - single in song 15/4/06, 4+ with 20+ redpolls feeding on birch catkins on 28/12/06
  83. Common Redpoll (Carduelis flammea) - at least 12, probably 16, with 20+ redpolls feeding on birch catkins on 28/12/06
  84. Common Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) * - small flock over in early October 2005
  85. Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) (4%) - two winter records of pairs

Escape

  • Helmeted Guineafowl (Numida meleagris) - single heard calling 27 July 2008; traced to local farm

    Lothian garden log

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