House Birdlist

Cygnus House and Adjacent Land (from the garden) Observations April 2003 to current date. Species total currently stands at 141.

Name	Scientific Name	Status
Red-throated Loon	Gavia stellata	Regular August/May
Slavonian Grebe	Podiceps auritus	Present September/May
Northern Fulmar	Fulmarus glacialis	Uncommon usually in NE winds
Northern Gannet	Morus bassanus	Uncommon all year
Great Cormorant	Phalacrocorax carbo	Regular all year
Shag	Phalacrocorax aristotelis	Fairly common at high tide
Grey Heron	Ardea cinerea	Resident
Mute Swan	Cygnus olor	Resident
Whooper Swan	Cygnus Cygnus	Large numbers October then family groups until May
Pink-footed Goose	Anser brachyrhynchus	Present October/May
Greenland White-fronted Goose	Anser flavirostris	Regular March/April. Three October 2008.
Greylag Goose	Anser anser	Present October/May
Snow Goose	Chen caerulescens	1 in March 2004 (white phase). A blue phase bird in October 2007.
Canada Goose	Branta canadensis	Present July/October only
Barnacle Goose	Branta leucopsis	Regular in goose flocks October/May
Pale-bellied Brent Goose	Branta bernicla hrota	Occasional in October. Sightings in 2004 & 2005 and up to 30 in October 2008.
Shelduck	Tadorna tadorna	Common October/July
Eurasian Wigeon	Anas penelope	Abundant in autumn, less so December through to May
American Wigeon	Anas americana	Drake present at high tide January 2011
Teal	Anas crecca	Present September/May
Mallard	Anas platyrhynchos	Resident with more in winter
Northern Pintail	Anas acuta	Scarce with 1-2 birds in winter
Greater Scaup	Aythya marila	c40 resident increases to c350 in winter
Tufted Duck	Aythya fuligula	Scarce in winter
Greater Scaup	Aythya marila	All year with a regular flock of 40
Common Eider	Somateria mollissima	Resident
Long-tailed Duck	Clangula hyemalis	Numbers peak in early May (hundreds). Small groups observed from garden October/April
Common Scoter	Melanitta nigra	Scarce in winter
Common Goldeneye	Bucephala clangula	Not uncommon at high tide in winter. Small flocks April and May
Red-breasted Merganser	Mergus serrator	Resident with large numbers of non-breeding birds June/August
Common Merganser	Mergus merganser	1-2 birds present all year
Osprey	Pandion haliaetus	Flies over regularly April/September. Two pairs breed nearby.
Honey-Buzzard	Pernis apivorus	Singles autumn 2006 and September 2008.
Red Kite	Milvus milvus	Uncommon seen in all months
White-tailed Eagle	Haliaeetus albicilla	Juvenile in October 2003
Hen Harrier	Circus cyaneus	Uncommon with 3-5 sightings a year usually between November/April.
Marsh Harrier	Circus aeruginosus	Juveniles in October 2004/2005
Sparrowhawk	Accipiter nisus	Resident visiting the bird feeders. Can be scarce in summer
Northern Goshawk	Accipiter gentiles	Observed 1-2 days a year usually in autumn. Female seen on 5/2/11
Buzzard	Buteo buteo	1-2 pairs breed nearby
Eurasian Kestrel	Falco tinnunculus	1 pair resident. Up to three birds in winter.
Merlin	Falco columbarius	Regular October/May
Eurasian Hobby	Falco subbuteo	2 records since 2003, with one in May 2008.
Peregrine Falcon	Falco peregrinus	1 pair in Cromarty Firth. Seen on an almost daily basis hunting ducks and waders
Red-legged Partridge	Alectoris rufa	Pair in summer 2004
Pheasant	Phasianus colchicus	Resident, visits bird feeders daily
Common Quail	Coturnix coturnix	1 singing and on territory June 2010
Eurasian Oystercatcher	Haematopus ostralegus	Large roost visible from garden
Northern Lapwing	Vanellus vanellus	Resident with an influx in winter
European Golden-Plover	Pluvialis apricaria	Present August/May from the garden
Common Ringed Plover	Charadrius hiaticula	Regular at high tide roost
Black-tailed Godwit	Limosa limosa	Icelandic race seen on a regular basis April/May. Scarce in winter
Bar-tailed Godwit	Limosa lapponica	Common, often in large numbers July/May
Eurasian Whimbrel	Numenius phaeopus	Often heard at night in April/May and again July/September. Occasionally seen in adjacent fields
Eurasian Curlew	Numenius arquata	Observed daily with peak numbers in winter
Common Redshank	Tringa totanus	Present August/May
Common Greenshank	Tringa nebularia	Peaks April/May and again from July/October. Uncommon in winter.
Common Sandpiper	Actitis hypoleucos	Regular from April/July on track burns
Ruddy Turnstone	Arenaria interpres	Scarce in winter usually 2-4 birds at high tide
Eurasian Woodcock	Scolopax rusticola	October is the best month, with 19 in 2007. Often flushed from track ditches
Common Snipe	Gallinago gallinago	Present in lower garden and adjacent fields September/April. Regularly drums in April at night
Jack Snipe	Lymnocryptes minimus	Small numbers in adjacent field in winter. October is best
Red Knot	Calidris canutus	At high tide roost July/May
Dunlin	Calidris alpina	Present from July/May
Ruff	Philomachus pugnax	Single birds 2003/2004
Pomarine Skua	Stercorarius pomarinus	1 October 2005
Arctic Skua	Stercorarius parasiticus	Regular in spring and late summer
Common Gull	Larus canus	Very common all year
Herring Gull	Larus argentatus	Common in winter. Non-breeders in summer
Lesser Black-backed Gull	Larus fuscus	Present April/September 1-2 birds only
Great Black-backed Gull	Larus marinus	Resident usually juveniles
Glaucous Gull	Larus Hyperboreus	One record. Spring 2007
Black-headed Gull	Larus ridibundus	Resident
Little Gull	Larus minutus	1 March 2005
Black-legged Kittiwake	Rissa tridactyla	Occasional in NE winds (autumn) c5 records since 2003
Sandwich Tern	Thalasseus sandvicensis	Mainly July/October, with a light spring passage
Common Tern	Sterna hirundo	Early May until August. Fishes in bay and sometimes in burns
Arctic Tern	Sterna paradisaea	Early May until October. Seen from garden on a regular basis
Wood Pigeon	Columba palumbus	Resident but may be scarce in winter
Eurasian Collared Dove	Streptopelia decaocto	Resident using bird tables. Highest count is 24
Common Cuckoo	Cuculus canorus	Often in lower garden April/May
Barn Owl	Tyto alba	1 pair resident, best seen in winter
Eurasian Tawny Owl	Strix aluco	1 pair resident, noisy at night. Often sits on house roof
Common Swift	Apus apus	Peaks July, otherwise scarce from May - August
Great Spotted Woodpecker	Picoides major	Resident with 2-3 pairs breeding. Brings young into garden June
Skylark	Alauda arvensis	Several pairs breed on adjacent fields. Flocks on entrance track in winter
Sand Martin	Riparia riparia	Scarce migrant April and September
Barn Swallow	Hirundo rustica	1-2 pairs breed in our garage. Common mid-April/end September
Red-rumped Swallow	Cecropis daurica	1 November 2009. First record for the Highlands
House Martin	Delichon urbica	Has attempted to breed on the house. Uncommon May/October
Grey Wagtail	Motacilla cinerea	Single birds in the garden usually September/October
White Wagtail	Motacilla alba	Regular migrant in spring (April/May) Pied Wagtails breed 1-2 pairs
Meadow Pipit	Anthus pratensis	2-4 pairs nest in lower garden. Abundant in September/October
Tree Pipit	Anthus trivialis	1-2 records each spring
Waxwing	Bombycilla garrulus	10 on 23/02/09. 59 in November 2008. 140 October 2010
Wren	Troglodytes troglodytes	2-3 pairs breed in the garden
Dunnock	Prunella modularis	1 pair breeds. Numbers increase in winter
Eurasian Blackbird	Turdus merula	3 pairs breed on a regular basis. Increases in winter
Fieldfare	Turdus pilaris	Common September/April. Often on apples in garden
Redwing	Turdus iliacus	Abundant September/April. Sometimes sings in garden (April)
Song Thrush	Turdus philomelos	1-2 pairs breed. Often absent October/March
Mistle Thrush	Turdus viscivorus	Visits garden September/April. In October the entrance track holds small flocks
Robin	Erithacus rubecula	2 pairs breed. Higher numbers in winter
Redstart	Phoenicurus phoenicurus	Migrants in May 2003/2006
Whinchat	Saxicola rubetra	Usually seen on lower garden fenceposts in May and September
Stonechat	Saxicola torquata	1 pair nests in lower garden or nearby
Northern Wheatear	Oenanthe oenanthe	Common on fields, entrance track and lower garden April/May less so from August until September
Grasshopper Warbler	Locustella naevia	2 pairs nested for the first time in 2006. Present again in 2007
Marsh Warbler	Acrocephalus palustris	1 September 2008.
Sedge Warbler	Acrocephalus schoenobaenus	1 pair regularly nests in the lower garden or adjacent field
Blackcap	Sylvia atricapilla	Visits bird table April/September. Nests nearby
Whitethroat	Sylvia communis	2 pairs breed. Arrives May departs mid-September
Willow Warbler	Phylloscopus trochilus	1-2 pairs breed. Regular in and around garden April/October
Chiffchaff	Phylloscopus collybita	Single records from October 2005/2006
Goldcrest	Regulus regulus	Visits garden September/May
Spotted Flycatcher	Muscicapa striata	1 pair breeds. Uncommon usually seen mid-May/September on lower garden posts and bushes
Long-tailed Tit	Aegithalos caudatus	Uncommon resident. Seen infrequently throughout the year
Coal Tit	Periparus ater	Common on feeders September/April
Great Tit	Parus major	Resident
Blue Tit	Cyanistes caeruleus	Resident
Treecreeper	Certhia familiaris	Occasional in garden 1-2 sightings a year
Eurasian Jay	Garrulus glandarius	First record Feb 2009
Eurasian Jackdaw	Corvus monedula	Flying over. Visits bird tables with young during summer
Eurasian Rook	Corvus frugilegus	Passes over in large flocks
Carrion Crow	Corvus corone	1 pair breeds on old tree. Regular on nearby fields
Hooded Crow	Corvus cornix	Common on lower garden and adjacent fields
Common Raven	Corvus corax	Increasing records. Observed from the garden on a regular basis
European Starling	Sturnus vulgaris	Resident in small numbers. Increases in winter
Yellowhammer	Emberiza citronella	Resident with several pairs breeding along track and lower garden. Up to 16 in winter flocks.
Reed Bunting	Emberiza schoeniclus	3-4 pairs bred in 2006. Small flocks in winter. Attends feeders
Snow Bunting	Plectrophenax nivalis	1 record of c20 birds in winter 2006
Common Chaffinch	Fringilla coelebs	Resident
Brambling	Fringilla montifringilla	Should be frequent …….up to 25 birds in cold winters
Greenfinch	Carduelis chloris	Common at feeders all year
Eurasian Siskin	Carduelis spinus	Common on feeders March/September. Absent or scarce at other times
European Goldfinch	Carduelis carduelis	Regular visitor to feeders
Common Redpoll	Acanthis flammea	Visits lower garden in winter (snows) to feed on dock heads
Twite	Acanthis flavirostris	Often on entrance track all year round
Linnet	Acanthis cannabina	Common in fields and lower garden
Eurasian Bullfinch	Pyrrhula pyrrhula	Often seen in winter including ‘Northern’ races
House Sparrow	Passer domesticus	Uncommon resident
Eurasian Tree Sparrow	Passer montanus	Up to 20 on feeders all year. 1-2 pairs nest