V 14 No.4 - The Scottish Ornithologists' Club

234 A. Hogg (Ed.)
S8 14 (4)
Counts: Highland, 400 Bridge of Brown 2 Mar;
Grampian, 151 in flock Lecht 26 Feb; Tayside, 150
Glen Brearachan 5 Feb, flocks of 75 and 54
Drumochter 24 Feb; LothianIBordm, counts in
snow 13 Feb, 2 Mar in Lammermuirs gave 467
Darent House, 280 Hopes, 1200 Darent House
Whiteadder Res , 185 LeithenlDewar Valley 2
Mar, 150+ Glencorse Loganlea 2 Mar.
Ptarmigan Lagopus mutus Highland , 2 prs
Scaraben 31 Mar, 1 or 2 present Morven Jun Jul;
Grampian, spring stock high Cairnwell , breeding
quite good though some failed in snowstorms at
higher altitudes in the Mounth and Caimgorms,
30+ Cairnwell 29 Nov; Tayside, 11 Meall Garbh,
Glen Lyon 10Jul; Strathclyde, scarce Mull , prBen
Sgulaird, N Argyll 3 Jun, min 2 prs successful
Arran.
Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix Highland, a better
season with more chicks seen, 27 males, 18 females
Abriachan 25 Apr, 30 Strathvaich 26 Feb , 22 males
L Laggan lek, 20 males Fort Augustus lek;
Grampian, good success Birse but average Glen
Tanar; Tayside, increase noted in number of
records; Fife, 2 females KnockhiU 11 May ;
Central, 12 Callendar Crag 5 Jan; Lothian, 8
Monynut 18 Jan, 7 males Fala Moor 4 Oct;
Borders, min 114 birds recorded, including 92
males, mostly lekking; SW StrathclydeIDumf &
Gall; lower nos at most sites.
Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus Highland, continued
decline with survey revealing only 7 males and 7
females E Ross, 24 males and 35 females
InvernesslSpey, 3 males and 1 female Affric, only
1 female Black Isle where common a few years ago ,
1 Carbisdale, Sutherland Dist 2 Nov; Grampian,
population still low Moray Dist, again a poor year
Glen Tanar with aye 1 chick/female, max 7
Tullynessle 21 Oct, 1 Rora 20 Sep; Tayside, 2 nests
found Montreathmont Forest; Fife, imm male
Tayport 23 Apr; Central, female Stank Glen 15
May.
Red-legged Partridge Alectoris ruta (most records
of this species refer to Red leg x Chukar hybrids)
Highland, quite common Beauly Kiltarlity area ,
good nos Badenoch, max 21 Invertromie 15 Oct;
Grampian, 18 Skene 12 Oct, 10 Keith Newmill17
Oct; more reports Borders where 12 released
Bowhill; Strathclyde, birds introduced Mull 1985,
60 released Cranley, successful breeding in SW
where pr reared 8 near Maybole; Dumf & Gall, 400
released St Mary's Isle, Kirkcudbright.
Grey Partridge Perdix perdix Breeding:
Grampian, good season Moray Dist with large
coveys reported, max 21 Roseisle 1l Nov, good
season suggested elsewhere in Region; Lothian,
good season with 6+ broods reported Gladhouse,
but only 3 prs Aberlady (10 prs in 1985);
Strathclyde, patchy success in SW , 2 prs reared 38
Drongan, but decline Lower Girvan Valley; Dumf
& Gall, remains generally scarce. Counts etc:
Highland, 50 young introduced Sands!de,
Caithness Dist; Fife, 23 Leuchars 22 Dec; Lothian,
41 Musselburgh 8 Feb, 50 Tyninghame 19 Oct;
Strathclyde, 41 Highfield, Prestwick 22 Feb.
· Quail Coturnix coturnix Singles unless stated:
Shetland, Eshaness 11 May; West Isles,
Askernish, S Vist 10 Jul; Highland, Janetstown 24
Jun , 2 Myrelandhom, Caithness Dist 13 Jun 10 Jul;
Grampian, Duffus 24 Jun, Ludquham 18 Jul;
Lothian, Aberlady 9 May, Tyninghame 19 Jun;
Borders, Hutton 24 May, 15 Jul , Reston 4 Jun, 7,
12 Aug, 12 Sep, Riccolton, Cheviots 20 Jun ,
Eckford 31 Aug, Bowhill 23 Sep; Strathclyde,
Baron's Haugh 9 12 JUn , Barnbrook Farm,
Renfrew Dist 20 Jun , Carluke 16 Aug.
Pheasant Phasianus colchicus Orkney, max count
16 Crantit 1 Dec; West Isles, introduced North
Vist; Highland, 500 males released Sandside,
Caithness Dist; Lothian , 9 territories Aberlady (20
in 1985).
t Golden Pheasant Chrysolophus pictus
Strathclyde, small feral population stll present L na
Keal, Mull ; Dumf & Gall, nos remain low, 3 prs
CumJoden, 1 Palnure DApr May.
Water Rail Rallus aquaticus Breeding: Highland,
pr reared 3 Wick R Jul is 1st confirmed breeding
for Caithness Dist, mill 1 pr bred Eigg; Fife, 6 birds
reported at 3 sites; Strathclyde, birds calling at 2
sites Colonsay, 38+ prs Inner Clyde 11 calling
birds at 4 sites in SW. Migrants: Shetland, singles
wintered Fair Isle , Vnst, autumn passage noted 29
Sep 29 Nov, max 2 Brow 5 Oct; Orkney, autumn
passage from 16 Sep, 1 3 Longhouse, St Ola Oct
Dec; West Isles, 1 Horgabost, Harris 9 Oct;
Grampian, 5 Strathbeg 16 Sep; Lothian, 6
Aberlady Feb.
·Spotted Crake Porzana porzana Only two :
Shetland, 1 Fair Isle 14 Aug; West Isles, 1
Askernish , South Vist 14 May.
Corncrake Crex erex Breeding: Shetland, 3 calling,
6 juvs flushed from field Quendale 19 Aug;
Orkney, 11 calling birds on 7 islands, predated egg
L of Manks 27 May; West Isles, 4 calling within
Stornoway Burgh Boundary; Highland, only 2 prs
Canna, both failed , nest with 9 eggs failed Eigg, 1
Reay 16, 22 Jun; Strathclyde, up to 23 probable
breeding territories Islay, other calling birds
included 5 Colonsay, 5 Coli, 2 Gigha, and singles
Iona, Mull. Other records (mostly calling birds):
Shetland, singles Fair Isle 3, 11 May, 2 Oct;
Grampian, 1 Drummuir 10 Jun; Tayside, 1 dead
Forgandenny 11 Aug; Lothian, 1 dead Dalkeith
late Sep; Strathclyde , 2 Fannyside L 6 May, 1